Sunday, June 29, 2008

Ramona


This is my friend Ramona. She left us last month, just shy of her 90th birthday. She had many friends, and we're all still grieving. She was a great woman and role model. She was born in Bakersfield, the daughter of a politician. When she was growing up, every one knew her and called her 'Sister', as in Sister, where are you going? I'm going to my grandmas. Hop in and I'll take you there. The only trouble, Ramona said, was she was running away, to her other grandma in Beverly Hills. Ramona was a hand-full growing up, she told us many great stories of her girl hood, and eventually was shipped off to boarding school. During the war she and her best friend went to San Francisco. She really needed a job, and told a cafe owner that she was an experienced waitress. She lasted about half an hour! Later, she'd moved back to Southern California, and met her future husband, Friday. He was getting ready to be shipped out to war, so she asked him to marry her. They were married over 60 years. When she became a widow, she eventually moved to Murrieta, where I met her. She was a wonderful friend and neighbor. She drove until she was 88, then decided she didn't want to be the old lady that caused an accident or even killed some one, so she stopped, because it was the right thing to do. She even took my Tai Chi class until she was 88, and cancer got the best of her.



I'm Free

Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free.
I'm following the path God laid for me,
I took His hand when I heard Him call,
I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day
To laugh, to love, to work, or play.
Task left undone must stay that way,
I found that place at close of day.

If my parting has left a void
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,
Ah yes, these things, I too, will mess.

Be not burdened with time of sorrow.
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life's been full, I savored much:
Good friends, good times a loved ones touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief
Don't lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up you heart and share with me,
God wanted me now, He set me free.
-Author Unknown

3 comments:

Alison said...

she sounds like she was a wonderful woman...I wish I could have known her...what a wonderful tribute to her!!

dot said...

What a wonderful lady! Wish she could read this.

Unknown said...

Ramona sounds magnificent! I bet she was a lot of fun to be around. I'm so sorry for the space she has left in your life but happy you had her in your life while you did. :)

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