Coming back to Patty

It's been awhile since Patty and I have been okay. I hate that things have transpired this way. Our friendship has a history, you see. This soul sister was my solid ground five years ago, as I made my way in the uncharted waters of Birmingham. Her music, the backdrop to many of my days here, both bad and good.

When she came through in concert last fall, I delighted at the chance to hear her songs in person once again. And so, together with my boyfriend at the time, I joined others for a magical evening of song and storytelling. And then hours later, tragedy hit when that relationship of nearly two years came to a somewhat-sudden end. 

I've never been so damn sad. For months, Patty was tied to this memory, to this cemetery. As much as I love Ms. Griffin's music, it was too painful to revisit. 

This week, however, when "Forgiveness" came across my speakers, I let it play. 

And I sang at full volume the words I'd not been able to sing. 

Don't need to tell me a thing baby, we already confessed/ And I raise my voice to the air/ It's hard to give/ It's hard to get/ But I think it's the best bet/ Hard to give/ Never gonna forget/ But everybody needs a little forgiveness. 

I've wanted to get better for way longer than I have been capable of doing it. Sadness was inescapable,  raw and real, deep and soul-marring. And in living it and through it, I feel like I've joined the human race.

But, I'm ready to forgive. I'm ready to walk on. And I'm ready to reunite with my Dear Old Friend. It's been too long.