A gift from Margo

Margo on the pages of my scrapbook

The day before we were due to board planes to Tulsa, my friend Paula and I were frantically working the phones trying to cancel our flights and get refunds on our tickets.
Our Oklahoma-based friend Christi had called us to say Margo — our red-headed, bubbley friend from high school days — was losing ground to the tumors in her lungs much faster than expected and probably would be in no condition to receive our visit.
She'd been told she had maybe 2-3 months but it ended up she lived less than a month from the time we found out to the night she died.

Margo is second from left

Once Paula and I found we could not get refunds on our plane tickets, we decided to use those tickets and go anyway, crossing our fingers all the way.
We arrived on Friday evening, planning to see Margo on Saturday but got an early morning phone call telling us Margo was gone, peacefully and well but before we had a chance to give her a hug.
We were taken aback and teary-eyed and, at first, sorry we hadn't rushed right from the plane to her house on Friday.
But then...as we visited with her husband and her lovely, younger sister (who had been way younger than us in high school and so had been warranted to be of little or no account) and as we attended Margo's LDS ward and met people in Broken Arrow who knew and loved our friend, we realized it was all like a well-scripted event full of God's tender mercies.
If we had seen Margo Friday, we probably would've gone to church somewhere in Tulsa closer to Christi's home.
If we had come over Friday, we would have met an exhausted, overwhelmed family who were in the middle of dealing with Margo's pain and suffering.
This way, we weren't intrusive. We became part of the start of the healing the day after.
My memories of Margo are of the friendly, freckled, young girl who was my chum and my bridesmaid and a talented, enthusiastic interior designer.

Paula, me and Christi in Tulsa

She knew we cared. She knew we were coming and she had excitedly shared the news with her neighbors and ward family.
At church, we were welcomed and thanked.
And we reaped a precious gift because of Margo. We reconnected with each other like the 40 years since graduation were mere minutes apart.
We laughed. We shared. We marveled at one another's survival through job changes, husband changes and children who ultimately gave us bright, beautiful grandchildren.
It was a magical weekend that surprised us with its rich and deep rewards, gifts that came because of Margo.
Thank you sweet friend.