I came in from working out one day and my mother had a guest. The time was 20 years ago in the South. My mother was sitting at the kitchen table with a stranger. I bounced in and stopped dead in my tracks. Both ladies laughed and my mother made the introductions.

“Jane, this is my daughter Lisa. Lisa, this is Jane. Jane just moved here from South Africa and I invited her over to get acquainted.”

Jane smiled at me and I smiled back. Jane was in her late 60’s and was very chic and elegantly dressed. I was in my workout gear and sweaty.

Jane said “It’s lovely to meet you Lisa and so gracious of your mother to invite me over.”

I smiled sheepishly. “Please forgive the way I look, I’ve been exercising. It’s really hot out there. And it’s nice to meet you too.”

“You look healthy and fine to me.” Jane smiled.

We both knew in that instant that we were going to be friends. And we were. From that first meeting we adored each other on sight. Despite the age difference we always “got” each other. Even after I left the South we kept in touch and I saw or called Jane whenever I came back to visit my mother.

Two years ago I sent her a holiday card. In January my telephone rang.

“Lisa, this is Jane’s granddaughter Kate. My grandmother wanted me to call and let you know she has been in the hospital, but she got your card and she asked me to tell you that she is thinking about you and loves you very much.”

“Kate is she ok? What happened?” I said in a panic.

Kate replied. “She had a stroke and almost did not make it but I knew something was wrong when I didn’t hear from her that morning. I went to her house right away. We rushed her to the hospital in the knick of time. She is better but will need major rehab and will go to a facility soon.”

“I’m so sorry. Please give her my love and tell her I will be in touch soon.” I hung up the phone and sat in a daze for a long time.

The next time I saw Jane was about 6 months later when I visited her at the rehab facility. At first she looked bewildered and did not recognize me but then she finally did. We talked but it was so strange. Jane was vague and sometimes confused. She had a difficult time walking and moving around as well. It was so hard seeing her like that as she had always been so quick and intelligent. This was not the Jane I knew. I hugged and kissed her goodbye knowing it was probably the last time I would ever see her. I left and drove back to my mother’s home.

My mother took one look at my devastated face and said “Oh Lisa, I’m so sorry.”

I burst into tears and cried for an hour.

Another few months went by and I was working in New York. I was working long hours and fell into a hard sleep. That night I had a very vivid dream. I was at an strange diner and I looked around and there was Jane. She was platinum blonde, (as opposed to her beautiful black hair with gray strands,) and was sitting on a stool. I looked at her in disbelief.

“Jane, it’s Lisa, what are you doing here? Are you ok?”

Jane turned to me and gave me a blinding smile. “Lisa darling, I’m fine! I’m happy and healthy and all is well.”

Something distracted me in my dream and I turned away for a brief second. When I looked back at Jane she was gone. I woke up, sat up and thought, JANE IS DEAD. I felt curiously peaceful though cause she was no longer suffering and was herself again.

I went to work the next day. My cell phone rang about noon with an unfamiliar number on the screen. It was Jane’s grandaughter.

“Lisa, this is Kate. I wanted to let you know my grandmother died two days ago. I misplaced your business card and I just found it.”

I gave Kate my condolences, we chatted a bit and then I hung up. I was not the least bit surprised by the call or by the fact that Kate had just found my card. Jane had been working behind the scenes. She had come the night before to say goodbye to me, let me know she loved me, and tell me that all was well.

The power of love is truly amazing sometimes.