wildwood park

my mom and i had a beautiful afternoon walk at nearby wildwood park last week.  the first time i came here was with my brother in law matt.  we used to take long walks together with his dog KC when michael and i lived with his parents in the summers when we were in college.  i enjoyed taking these walks with matt and they are the first things i reminisce about when i think of him.  he was a great companion for walking - athletic and strong, someone to protect you, yet kind and thoughtful.  i loved matt because he was great to talk to.  he was a good listener and also shared his thoughts too.  we had a close relationship, we were friends.  i am grateful for the special relationships michael and i both have with each other's families.  i think this is one of the gifts that comes with couples who find each other young.  michael and i have been together 17 years now - since i was 17 years old - half of my life thus far.  matt left his life early on this earth.  there is not a day that we all don't think about him.  there are pictures of him, we think of him when we see symbols of him, like mustard weed, dragonflies, and pennies found, his truck in the driveway, or sometimes we think of him when we are all together and it's hard not to notice he's not there.  i'm grateful for the walks we shared, the depth of our conversations, the relationship that was created by the kinship we shared for long walks in nature.  i love that walking where we once walked brings him to my mind.  but, i wish he were still here to take them with me.  when you lose someone you love you hold them in your heart wherever you go all the while enjoying the present moment and the ones you are with.