Friendship

In the months since Ronen left us, the kindness and selflessness of friends and family has been incredibly humbling. Meals and cards, donations and hugs. Friends for weekends to play, feed and love on my kids; to lend me shoulders to cry on; to hold my hand. To carry us as best they can.

This weekend, my dear friends Elliott and Susan Phear came with their amazing kids, June and Archie. Such love and tenderness. And laughs. Oh, how I've missed laughing. This morning we all took a walk. All I knew was that there was a surprise at the end of it. Halfway between the home Ronen and I bought together last summer and the house we rented for three years prior, we stopped. And what a surprise it was.

My heart was filled with love by the thoughtful gesture. I cried good tears. I hugged my kids and told them, "look what Ema's friends did for Aba. For us." My head was flooded by memories of what was, once upon a time in New York, with the friends that created this tribute. When such grief seemed like an impossibility.

I am forever touched by your gesture: Susan, El, Jenny, Marcus, Bree, Victor, Mike, Kristi, Laura, Jason, Jennifer, Ben and Leslie. Ronen would have been awestruck. And once again, in an incredible way, my kids get to see what true friendship looks like. In this case, a beautiful bench dedicated to their father amongst wildflowers, fruit, vegetables and butterflies, in the middle of the life we created together as four.

Thank you too to The Wylde Center at Oakhurst Garden, for making this happen.