Saying goodbye….
Next weekend will be bitter sweet for me. My 40th class reunion! Seeing close friends and seeing people that I have not seen in 40 years! Soooo looking forward to that! How fun will that be! There is someone else that I am going to see, and I will be saying goodbye to her. We grew up as kids together and lived close by. She was a few years older than me, but there were always that group of kids that always played together. As life goes by, we went to different schools, had different friends, and our paths took different routes…..we had not seen each in years even at funerals and weddings for whatever reasons. My dad died of lung cancer in 2011 and she came to the burial. She handed me a small envelopment at his gravesite with a card inside and asked me to read it when I left. As we were driving home, I opened it and read it. Tears traveled down my face and all these memories flashed in front of me. You see, she herself has lung cancer and has been fighting it for many years. She said words in her card about my dad and how he sometimes felt like a dad to her. Her dad died when she was very young. It is funny the things people tell you about family that dies and what they meant to them in their life. We should do this while the person is living. How awesome would that be! We connected on FaceBook and have been commenting on postings and message each other to stay in touch. A couple of years ago, myself and another friend made it a point to have drinks together with her. We laughed, told stories, funny and sad, and it was so nice to see her. We all agreed to get together again soon, but it never happened. I messaged her that I was coming home for my reunion and maybe we could see each other. She told me that she is not doing well and is arranging hospice to come in. I will be saying goodbye to my special friend of 50+ years next weekend. I am honored and grateful to have the opportunity to do that. What a courageous, strong woman she is. So as life goes on……it is both bitter and sweet….saying hello to many that I have not seen in so many years at my reunion, and saying goodbye to someone that I have loved for 50+ years……….
Bio for Eileen Donbeck Doyon
The loss of family members early in my life has been extremely difficult, and most recently I lost my dad to lung cancer and was with him til the end. I have been trying to figure out how to deal with death due to it being so much a part of my life. Most people will deal with loss at some point in their lifetime. The past two years have been depressing, complicated, and dark. In receiving two treasures last year, my dad's dog tags, and my grandmother's chandelier, it meant so much to me, my attitude, and my outlook on my own life. I felt their presence and their love all around me. I knew that others in my situation had to feel the same way. If so, I wanted to help. So that became my mission....to help others talk about their loved ones who have passed and to tell their stories of their own personal keepsakes. Our military is very precious to me. We owe so much to our veterans that have served and protected our country. So this became my theme of my second book.
People were so excited, emotional, happy, and sad all in one, but it was all good. We laughed and cried talking about memories and stories of loved ones. Sometimes, those feeling are buried deep down due to the crazy hectic lives we all live, and sometimes it just hurts too much to think or talk about. Everyone's comments were so supportive and positive. It really became a healing to all and made people feel good.
So, in this hectic life, I have decided to run a series of books titled "Unforgettable Faces and Stories". We all need to stop and think about people in our lives, both past and present, and stories of those unforgettable magic moments.
Eileen Doyon grew up in the small town of Fort Edward in upstate New York. She left there in 1978 and now lives in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She enjoys gardening and traveling on her motorcycle visiting new places, familiar places, and meeting new friends. She is a member of Pease Greeters in Portsmouth.
Eileen Doyon’s series is Unforgettable Faces and Stories. She has released five books, Dedications: Dads and Daughters/2013, Keepsakes; Treasures from the Heart/2013, Best Friends: Forever and Ever/2013, Pet Tales: Unconditional Love/2014 listed on Amazons Best Sellers list, and most recently, Letters To Heaven, also listed on Amazons Best Sellers list.
Eileen Doyon’s series is Unforgettable Faces and Stories. She has released five books, Dedications: Dads and Daughters/2013, Keepsakes; Treasures from the Heart/2013, Best Friends: Forever and Ever/2013, Pet Tales: Unconditional Love/2014 listed on Amazons Best Sellers list, and most recently, Letters To Heaven, also listed on Amazons Best Sellers list. Please visit her website www.UnforgettableFacesandStories.com and join her FaceBook page Unforgettable Faces And Stories and follow her on Twitter @FacesandStories
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