on parting

by: Charlotte Bronte

THERE'S no use in weeping,
Though we are condemned to part:
There's such a thing as keeping
A remembrance in one's heart:
.
.

When we've left each friend and brother,
When we're parted wide and far,
We will think of one another,
As even better than we are.
.
.
We can burst the bonds which chain us,
Which cold human hands have wrought,
And where none shall dare restrain us
We can meet again, in thought.

So there's no use in weeping,
Bear a cheerful spirit still;
Never doubt that Fate is keeping
Future good for present ill !


This past evening our dearest friends, JoAnn and Paul, came to tell us goodby. She kept repeating, "I wasn't going to cry!"...but we did...considering our age I'm sure we must have both been thinking we would never see each other again...
I believe the year we met was 1960...in the picture below we were next-door neighbors...Kim was her oldest (sitting between my Barbara and Laura)...and her (then )youngest, Paula Sue is the first in line of these neighborhood childen..

Here we are in 1968...the years of "big hair"...

In 1973 we moved to California and this picture was taken of their family the evening we were over to tell them goodby...Our Laura was a senior in high school and was to graduate in just a couple of months and she stayed there in Dallas with them until after graduation and finding a job...then she moved into her own apt. It was very hard leaving her but we were so grateful that she had a good home with good friends to stay with.

We lived in California for only two years and then were transfered to Chicago where we were throughout the 80's..as our two oldest children still were living in Dallas we were able to visit with Paul and JoAnn on our trips back home.        1984

In 1988 we were transfered back to Texas and lived in Plano...

         1989..mother, JoAnn, Paul, Bob and friend from Chi, Sue

2003 at their home in Rowlett

 

2004 at our home in Garland

2005 July 31st..at Laura's 50th. birthday party

with their grandchildren...2007

Last night she brought us a gift...not the first time by any means...

JoAnn is a wonderful gifted person...she loves to quilt...has made dozens that I know of...well, I have my own now...look at this lovely quilt she brought me...

we will miss you but expect to see you in Alabama soon...