A Loss of a Special Friend

How do you handle a breakup of a relationship when you have come to love that person?
Actually, the dissolution of my daughter's relationship with her boyfriend involves my husband and I, as well. We had become close to D, as he spent quite a bit of time here at our home. Since he lives a distance away, there were many nights when he "camped out" on the sofa in our sun room. He was like a son to us in so many ways.
He was the one who would hear that Jim needed to clean out the ashes from the fireplace, so he would do it without asking. He would be the one who would make breakfast for Katie on the mornings that he was here.
He volunteered to help clean up the branches in the back yard when we had a particularly heavy storm and to help Jim split wood, on his day off from work. When I complained about getting junk mail, he promised to send some mail that would make me smile.
For D, it was all about helping others and making their lives better.
The actual descision to break up, came about a week before Christmas. I shook my head when Katie told me, because it wasn't the first time that she had broken it off. But she said that D had a gift for us, so would be coming over on Christmas Eve.
True to his word, he came, and not only came, but attended the Vigil Mass on Christmas Eve with us.
When it was over, we all went home to White Pizza, a family tradition, and a fire. We gave D his presents, and Katie opened hers from D.

Then D handed us a red envelope. I dreaded opening it in a way, as I felt that it would be our last time together. Inside was a specially chosen card, that contained some sweet words together with a picture drawn of a log carrier that was late in delivery. Tears sprang to my eyes and I couldn't speak for a moment. We told him how much we cared for him and just how special he is to us. I am still grieving as I write this. Time will heal, I know. But how do you just forget a person who has become a son?