The ties that bind. (book related) [View all]

Tuesday I went to the burial of my life long best friend who, for some reasons and illness I had not seen in a while. We bonded when I was 12 she 13 and over the years made 3 promises to each other for whoever went first.

In Jr. High we decided that each of us would live in the tiny community that her Grandparents lived in and she would eventually inherit the homestead. I followed through many years after and lived here for 12 years before she died.

In High School we pledged to make certain there were no little black hairs growing out of our faces while in our casket. I don't know why exactly but her husband told me that there were no hairs so I was relieved of that duty.

The last pledge we made was to make absolutely certain there was a book inside the casket with us. I thought and thought and chose a book we had read together as very young women and had enjoyed so much then and again later in life when we re read it. I finally found my copy just in time, The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffery. 3 books within a book.

It is funny how pledges like this make me feel somehow like no matter where she travels she will still have a part of me with her. Books mean so much to so many of us. To have bonded as tightly as we did we are now forever connected by something that meant the world to us, only one of the hundreds of books we must have read together in our own little 2 person book club. I loved her and I will miss her but I am so pleased knowing my book is forever in her hands. Travel well Jan.