Denial

It always works this way. I never take pictures of the people I spend the most time with.

I see her all the time. If I want to know what she looks like, I'll just drop by.

I should know by now that life doesn't work that way. The person I see every day may move tomorrow.

I never took pictures of Shelli until I moved away and went back for a visit. Now I've got a nice little collection of photos proving we've done fun stuff together. I guess I'll have to do the same with Sara. Because, despite the fact that we've been prayer/Goodwill/tea/hang out buddies for the last year and a half, I don't have a single picture of her, except the one we took for the church directory. And, trust me, that doesn't count.

Okay, I know I should have seen the warning signs like the FOR SALE sign in her front yard, her husband's job interview in another town, and the fact that she kept stacking packed boxes in her garage. But I was in denial.

So now she's gone, not from my life but from my town. I can still pop up and see her from time to time, but I'll miss those spontaneous trips to dumpster dive, those lazy cups of tea, the way she breaks out in prayer without even missing a beat, the way she always seems to know exactly what punishment to meat out for every circumstance.

Sara, I miss you already. I'll be up there soon.

And I'll have my camera in hand.