NaBloPoMo 2018 - Day 4

Somewhere in the South Pacific

"A rainbow makes a promise

that life is here to stay.

Promise means there's more to life

then what we know today.

I can share tomorrow

if there's one to pledge it to.

I'd like to be a rainbow

and promise life to you."

I first heard this song somewhere in high school.  I used to collect quotes and poems.  This is one that I actually memorized.  I didn't know it was a hymn.  I played guitar in the church choir and still didn't know it was a hymn.  Now I know it is... one by the Dameans.  In leu of the blog I was going to write, I was suddenly reminded of these words as I read about the death of an online friend.  

Donna was one of the first people I met on Journals@aol.  I started blogging as a way to keep in touch with family and friends as I moved around the country during my training after medical school.  She was attracted to my blog heading because I had been accepted to the residency program at SUNY University at Buffalo and was planning my move.  My original blog was called "Are There Squirrels in Buffalo?" And, her first response was "yes, there are!" She offered to introduce me to her town.  Over the next three years I grew to learn to learn about her love of the city, her love of the Sabres (we both shared a love of hockey), her devotion to her family, and her creative spirit.

We both lamented the closing of Journals@aol and having to find new platforms.  We both made our way to Blogger, and she was the first to post a greeting on my new blog.

Through our communications over the next three years while I went through Emergency Medicine residency training, we often would talk about getting together, meeting for lunch, etc but never did so.  Finally though, during the last week as I was packing up to move to California, we met for a late lunch.  It was great to finally put a face to the person I'd been chatting with for the last 3 years.

Over the next several years, we kept in touch from time to time on Blogger; commenting on each others' blogs.  Then Facebook came along and we followed each others' lives.  She had her ups and downs.  She had cancer and underwent treatment.  She grew frustrated then carried on.  Finally, this last week we learned she was in hospice and today she died.

I never knew the rest of this song until today when I looked it up to make sure I gave the correct credit for it.  Here's to you, Donna... may your soul be free and at peace...

"All the joy we know now has come because we share Dividing up the sorrow makes it easier to bear So with our hearts together life is bound to grow I promise you tomorrow from all the love I know A rainbow makes a promise that life is here to stay Promise means there's more to life than what we know today I can share tomorrow if there's one to pledge it to I'd like to be a rainbow and promise life to you There's much that we'll discover on roads where love will lead We'll come to know our own heart as we answer each one's need For in the life we promise there's more to what we share To lose ourselves in giving is to find God hidden there"

#NaBloPoMo18