“Never
forget the days I spent with you. Continue to be my friend, as you will always
find me yours.” Ludwig van Beethoven
Mary Alice has a good friend who lives across the street. She
is funny and full of wit and charm. She is classy and interesting, just the
type of person I like Mary Alice to be around. She and Mary Alice love to chat
about world events, people, religion, all of the important things in life. They
are kindred spirits. Her friend is Mrs. Eubanks. She is eighty years old.
Mary Alice utilizes every opportunity to take over her latest
kitchen creation for Mrs. Eubanks to enjoy. When she bakes a cake for our
family, she remembers to bring an extra piece or two to share with Mrs. E. In the summer, Mary Alice runs across the
street and cheerfully knocks at the door.
Upon opening it, Mrs. Eubanks might find Mary Alice standing there holding an “extra” homemade
snow cone that she was excited to give to her special friend. Mrs. Eubanks reciprocates, bringing a flower
that she happened to buy from a local nursery, along with a newspaper article
on the best way to grow marigolds, because she knew how interested Mary Alice
was in starting a garden. Mrs. Eubanks might
drop by with a big batch of chocolate “sinful haystacks” for Mary Alice to share
with our family. During the holidays, Mary Alice receives special gifts from
her too. Mrs. Eubanks is never stingy
with her gifts. She remembers Mary Alice on every major holiday with something
fabulous. Mary Alice loves to be around Mrs. Eubanks. She is one class act.
Mrs. E isn’t like some eighty year olds I know. She’s what I
call “with it.” The woman drives a brand
new Lexus with tons of amazing gadgets. She loves gadgets. She likes
technology. She knows more about computers than most people my age. She carries an iPhone. She isn’t the type of
eighty year old who is set in her ways, but has grown and changed with the
times. She shops at Anthropologie, for
goodness sake! She cares for her sickly husband and doesn’t leave her house as
much as she probably would like, but is always dressed super cute, if for no
other reason than that she’ll be walking to her mailbox that day. She is funny
and delightful and can relate so well with my almost twelve year old girl that
they are more like good buddies than like elderly woman and young girl. Mary
Alice pays visits to Mrs. Eubanks regularly. Mary Alice adores her, because
Mrs. E treats her like the mature person that she is. Mary Alice hates when
adults patronize her or talk down to her. Mary Alice had a friend over the other day.
She and her friend went on a jog around the neighborhood. On the way back from
the jog she and the friend stopped by for a little visit. Of course, Mary Alice had
to take her friend by to meet Mrs. Eubanks.
Mrs. Eubanks always has a smile on her face and welcomes a visit from
Mary Alice any time. She told me that seeing Mary Alice brings joy to her
heart. She loves “that kid.”
It amazes me how close these two are! I was never like Mary
Alice in that way. When I was her age, there is no way I would’ve wanted to
spend time chatting with my elderly neighbor about life. I loved my
grandparents and great-grandparents, but other than that, generally stuck to
socializing mostly with people my own age.
Mary Alice is different. In some ways, she is an old soul. My girl is the perfect combination of maturity
and innocence. In some ways, she boggles
me with the mature way she handles and looks at life. She really cares about people. She can appreciate the beauty in people of
every age. She loves all people, but she REALLY loves elderly people. I often
wonder how God will use this during her life.
I know God has special plans for my tender servant hearted girl.
A few weeks ago we heard some sad news about our Mrs.
Eubanks. She told us that she’d been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.
She’d been given a few months to live. Mary Alice was devastated. She thinks of
Mrs. Eubanks as a close friend, even like a grandmother-type figure in her life.
Mary Alice had to wait a few days to get over the shock of
hearing the sad news and to give herself a chance to compose her thoughts and
emotions before she paid Mrs. E a visit. She knocked on the front door. They talked and visited about life the
way they always had. Then, as the visit came to a close Mary Alice stopped to
ask Mrs. E a question. Mary Alice wanted to know one thing, “Mrs. Eubanks, I
have to ask you something. Do you know
Jesus? I just needed to make sure.” Mrs. Eubanks smiled her big smile and gave
Mary Alice the answer she needed to ease her worry.
“All my life, dear.
All my life.”
Yes, theirs is a friendship that will last forever.
