As I stated previously, my wife and I are enjoying our fifth winter in Miramar Beach, Florida. We have returned five consecutive years to the same Gulf Side Way's 35-homes cul-de-sac located 80-yards off the Gulf. During these years, we have forged very close friendships with some fourteen couples. Our friends ages fall in a 65-to-80 range...This writer, I push those outer age limits. The Snowbird group represents, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Illinois.
Several couples stay in touch throughout the year. Our respective journey's have been woven together with winter-time sharing and the exchange of personal histories with the experiences of joys and difficult times. This winter has been unlike our four previous winters and the circumstances making it so different has dampened spirits.
Gerry and I had just arrived the 8th of January. As we pulled into the cozy cul-de-sac circular roadway, we spotted our couple friends from Michigan. We immediately stopped our auto and got out to embrace this couple. We visited for a few minutes and knew we'd be visiting later. Well, that later visit was a brief moment two weeks after that first greeting. The gentleman had experienced severe back pain while playing golf and was taken to the emergency room for evaluation. He was admitted to the hospital and some 10-days later was discharged from the hospital with a cancer diagnosis.
He and his wife were awaiting their son to fly into the area so he could drive his parents the 19-hours back to Michigan. I seized an opportunity to have a private visit with my winter-time friend before his departure home. The conversation was both real and surreal.
I continue to be in a prayerful attitude every day for our friends as they face their fight together. It remains both real and surreal. May God give His comforting grace and healing powers in accordance to His Will.
(Touch)Praying for You
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