Random thoughts swirling around in my brain this morning. Some sad; some eliciting a smile. The nostalgia that often comes with the notice of a death. A college friend, Pat Power, died yesterday.

My memory of her will always include laughter. She had the ability to see the humor in everyday life, and to share it with others. Another friend and I had planned to visit her at a hospice center on the North Shore next week. We knew how ill she was, so her death wasn’t a shock, although realistically, it’s always a bit of a shock, isn’t it?

Selfishly, not seeing her comatose in a hospice setting allows me the memory of the last time I saw her. Pat, Polly and I on the deck of a restaurant here on the Cape. A long lunch with the sea in the background. Pat making us choke with laughter at her wry comments.

I was embroiled in what I considered a nightmare scenario at the time. Both parents in a nursing home. Sibling conflict in how to deal with all of it. I so admired Pat’s ability to squirrel in and find the nut of humor in any situation. She made me laugh at myself at a time when I needed to take a step back and be objective.

She’ll be sorely missed by her family without question, but also by those she touched in other aspects of her life.