Bountiful

Mary is wearing a little bracelet my friend Kelly just made for her. Kelly is one of my closest (definitely my oldest) friends. She is one of the people I leaned on hardest last year. And she supported me in ways I didn't expect, or deserve. Kelly has a generous spirit, with an amazing capacity for forgiveness. She has a beautiful voice that is truly a gift from God. She's funny and smart, and always suggests the best books! She's a devoted wife and a loving, gentle, and patient mother.

About a month before Mary's big day I received this email from Kelly -

From: Kelly
Subject: A story
To: Gabi
Date: Thursday, March 13, 2008, 10:10 PM

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10212670

I am going to buy this for you. You can read it, and run your fingers over the stamping while we wait for Mary to get perfect (again) (even though she always was). You can look at it, and remember that I'd never known that particular quote until I saw it on the blog about Mary.

Someday, when we are in our 50's or older- jetting off to book readings, and other interesting cultural happenings, it will sit in Mary's room, on her dresser or a shelf. It will hold her jewelry or just her dust. She will be a perfect, normal teenager- she'll be giving you hell. She'll never get rid of it, and she won't be sure why.

When she is our age or older, she will rediscover it, and begin to love it in the way that you and I always have loved it. Because it will represent love, certainty, goodness and faith.

All the things she will have learned because of the way you loved her, mothered her and cared for her.

We will want to steal it from her, possibly. We will envy her youth and opportunity. Then you'll smack me and I'll smack you because youth and opportunity take time away from all the interesting cultural happenings that we finally have earned.

She'll give it to her daughter.

I promise you. Okay? I promise.

Kelly brought over the little dish right before Mary's surgery. It's lovely~
Oh, Kel, thank you for being a friend. Love you.

I hope, Mary someday, has as many wonderful friends as I.