Letting Go, The Ultimate Proof of Love / Tree of Life

They say true friends can usually be counted with the fingers of one hand and you still have fingers left. It's true in my case. Very few I consider  true friends. They know me and all that I am. They know my flaws and accept them. They see my virtues and value them. If I call for them, they answer. If they call for me, I am there for them.

Even fewer have known me long enough to have experienced my dragon fire upon them and stayed my friends. And only one of them knows all of my secrets, the good and the bad. Only one knows most of my soul and has seen the dark and the light side, but has never feared me. This one friend is leaving town soon.

Our friendship is unique. We are as different as night and day, as fire and water. When first I met her, I tried to stay away from her. She was too cheerful, charismatic and popular for my tastes. I don't like popular people. We still laugh at the fact she never read my evasive behavior as "stay away" signals. On the contrary, the more I tried to dodge her, the more she hang out with me. I just looked at her like an odd person. Why in hell anyone would want to be with a rather bitter looking anti-social dragon? To make it worst, she is a kind of hug-maniac. She is always hugging everyone.

Not only that. We don't like the same music. She can party all night long, I want my bed by 10.00 pm. She's not quite the reader, I love books. She's not a fantasy fan. I'm a creature of fantasy. She can make friends with a light post, I find it hard to keep a 1 minute conversation with a stranger.

We do share some traits, though. Strong temper: She's the tiger, I'm the

dragon. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon when we fought.  Empathy, I often know what she needs without her telling me and she knows what I need without me telling her. We've got to be so close, we could feel each other's feelings, like twins. Either could feel sad without knowing why, and then discover it was the other one's sadness, or stress, or anger. We could call each other out of the blue and discover the timing was perfect, for we were sorely needed. We could summon each other with the mere thought and get an answer within the hour.

My best friend and I, we've cried together, we've kicked each other's butt out of our space and called Time Out; we've fallen and got up again. We've encouraged each other, we've scowled at each other. We've lost, we've won, we've learned and we've fought side by side. We have shared our deepest secrets and fears and hopes and pains to one another. She has taught me to see the world through her eyes and I've taught her to see it through mine, without ever losing our own particular essence. In my 803 years of life, I've never had a friend like this one. Ever.

When she said she was leaving town in search of her destiny, my heart dropped to my feet. Yet, my answer was "Yes! If that's where your peace is, then go get it, girl! Don't hesitate. Don't look back. Grab your stuff and go after your happiness. It's time to fly and there are awesome things awaiting for you! This is your chance. You can do this. Go. Fight. Win!"

In the last days, I've been helping her in everything I can for her moving. I've bought some of her furniture. I've taken things I need and things I don't need, just because I want to have mementos of my friend. I won't lie. I have a sense of abandoned dragon somewhere deep. It will likely surface at full once her flight takes off and she leaves Mexico City, friends and family behind. Tears have choked me a couple times but I've managed to swallow them down. I know she's not happy here. I know it is very possible she'll find her true happiness where she's heading. She'll prosper and find her place and herself in the way. And I am very happy for that, because she's my best friend in this life, and I believe, she was my best friend in past lives. That's the only explanation of how our friendship developed so strong and so indestructible in such opposite creatures.

I've never been good to let go. I've clung to some people, some things and every memory in an almost obsessed manner. This is the first time I'm letting go with such level of true understanding, significant amounts of wisdom and real joy for the other person. I'll miss my friend. I'll miss her so much my heart is already crying for the chunk that is being tore off it. But I know even when I will no longer have her at 15 minute drive from my cave, our friendship is strong enough to overcome distance. It's all matter to switch on the telepathy again... or so I want to believe.

In a way, we will always stay with one another. I am convinced our friendship comes from a previous life and will last this lifetime and all the following.

Cover design by artist and composer, Ryo Ishido

This anthology is dedicated in memory of Tina Downey, our dearest friend, fellow storyteller and firm believer that life is good…

Welcome to audiomachine‘s Tree of Life: Branching Out, a cross-industry collaborative writing project featuring 26 authors from across the globe whose collective story is inspired by motion picture advertising music production house, audiomachine’s Tree of Life album.

During the course of 26 consecutive days, each writer contributed a chapter within 24 hours of the previous installment, spinning the tale in whatever direction they chose, resulting in the ultimate collaborative journey of words and music.

The anthology includes a new epilogue, a memorial story I wrote for “T”, entitled, Epitaph.

Here it is the Amazon Link.  All proceeds of the TREE OF LIFE ebook will benefit the Downey Education Fund set up for Tina’s children.

It was my honor to be part of this amazing adventure. Thank you, Sam, for all of your efforts in putting this together.

Dragon Hugs to all!

Remembering Tina Downey - True Story

Today we honor Tina Downey. It has been raining in Mexico City almost everyday the past week. I didn't want to take the picture for Tina's tribute on a cloudy day. To me, she was sunlight even in rainy days so I waited for the first sign of clear sky. Dwarves rushed out to the garden as soon as we noticed sunlight. But right when we had everything ready... clouds covered it.

"Aw, come on sun! A bit of light, please?" Dwarves made a ritual dance. It seemed to work.

But then the light was gone. I looked up and said, "Tina, could you push those clouds a bit?" Guess what happened few seconds later.

Unbelievable, I know but that's how it was. And I think that was Tina's essence, efficiently making things happen.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, TINA. 

YOU'LL ALWAYS LIVE IN MY DRAGON HEART.

Don't forget to check the other tributes. Dragon Hugs!

Sunflowers for Tina

In memory of Tina Downey, the A to Z Team is hosting a sunflower tribute on September 8, 2014 – Remembering Tina Downey.

Prior to that date, purchase or plant a sunflower in her honor. (If you have to resort to plastic, that’s cool.) Take a photo of your sunflower and post in in her memory on Monday, September 8. Tina loved her sunflowers, and we want to splash the blogging world with sunflowers that day and honor a truly amazing woman who was friend and family to so many. You can sign up now or add your link when you post your sunflower. Please help us spread the word! Let’s brighten the Internet with sunflowers the way Tina brightened the lives of so many.

Lights on Earth become Lights in the Sky

On May 12, I had a need in my heart for friendly support. I reached out my dragon hand and posted an open invitation for a goal partner.  One of the few people who chose to accept my invitation was Tina Downey at Life is Good. I met Tina during an A to Z Challenge but I didn't get to know her until she became part of the Fellowship of the Dragon. She immediately dazzled me with her amazing enthusiasm, her kindness and the greatness of her spirit. In spite of her serious healthy issues, she proved to be one of the strongest beings I've met. Strong of will, strong in determination, strong in the way she loved and her ability to express it by helping others in every way she could. Tina was such an outstanding person that made her way deep into this dragon's heart in barely three months.

I am not sure if I managed to give her at least a bit of what she expected when she became my dragon fellow. She gave me more than I could have hoped for sure. Eight days before her passing, Dr. Tina (as she asked me to call her) sent me lots of useful advice to ease my Carpal Tunnel Syndrome pain.  She ended her note with the following words.

"Yes, I'm kicking you in the rear, but I suspect you can take it better than most considering those scales are protecting you and your dwarves will likely take me hostage..."

They would have, if given enough time, because Tina was a treasure to be cherished. Tina's health was not the best, but her sense of humor was supreme and her love for life was inspiring. Her warrior spirit reminded me so much of my beloved grandfather, Father Dragon "The Great", that I can't express just how much I regret not getting to know her earlier. Yet, I am extremely grateful for being on at least a small part of her journey.

Additionally to Tina's, another light left my world this weekend. On Friday, my most beloved uncle made his last flight and went back to the Higher Powers. He gave us laughter, wisdom, and love. Lots of love and lots of laughter, mostly against the will of his wife and offspring. His life wasn't easy. He also knew what hell on Earth was, but he always strove to make the best out of everything. He worked devotedly to kindle lights on the paths of those who traveled the dark paths he had traveled and showed them the right ones. He was an endless source of riveting stories. He was the best uncle in dragon history and I'll miss him deeply. He was The Wanderer Dragon and now he is with Grandma and Grandpa "The Great".

Sometimes I wonder what will be left behind when I'm gone. Many believe that one needs to do extraordinary deeds to be remembered or that we need years to leave a mark in peoples' lives.

I used to look back and see no heroic deed, no best-seller book, no award winning artwork, and I thought "I've done nothing to be remembered by."

I knew Tina for a few weeks and I knew the Wanderer Dragon since I can remember. For as long as I live, I'll always remember them both. Not for whatever greatness they achieved in their life, but for the lights they kindled in mine. For every laughter they brought out of my heart, for every kind gesture, for every lesson I learned thanks to them, including this one.

It is the small daily things (that we may consider meaningless) that we do with our heart, that find their way into others' hearts. Those small things set lights in their hearts, leaving the trace of our journey through life. Eventually, they will also light our path when time comes for us to leave this earth. The quality of one's soul can be measured by how much joy he brought to others and how much joy he found in Life, I think.

Life is Good, Tina said. And she'll live on in those who live this good life with a smile despite bad circumstances, like she did.

Godspeed, Tina. Godspeed, beloved uncle. There are tears in my eyes, but the smile in my heart is brighter and bigger. Thank you for enriching my life with your presence. Godspeed and until we meet again, Dragon Hugs!