Elaine Brady and I met while working at Red Lobster 25 years ago, and we have been close friends ever since.
Still, I’ve often been envious of how rich she is—that is, in her abundance of friends.
Last winter I was diagnosed with breast cancer and scheduled for a double mastectomy. Devastated, I called Elaine.
She came right over. “You need a slumber party,” she said. We watched Mamma Mia!, a favorite of ours. We laughed, cried, ate popcorn. It was what I needed.
The next day there was a note on the counter from Elaine: “Remember, Deb True, there’s a wagon of prayers circling you.”
I found out what she meant when I came home from the hospital to a beautiful bulb garden. The card read, “Giddy Up!”
From there? More cards. All with return addresses like Wagon 7, Wagon 20. Over 40 “wagon prayers” in all. Elaine had e-mailed everyone in my address book!
Today I’m in remission. I can’t wait to make more memories with Elaine. She’s my friend for life. And she’s shown me it’s a rich life indeed.
