My next in line brother was a world traveller! His life was too early snatched away by cancer in 2005.
At his funeral we were reminded of two ladies he had met in New Zealand a few years back. They had become known to the family as they visited Canada and as my parents visited them in New Zealand. And then the yearly Christmas greetings continued.
Now years later, at my mother’s death, they have sent a note of condolence. A touching reminiscence of the years of contact, of the impact the family had on them, and of pure graciousness in our time of sorrow.
This is certainly one way to gauge friendship!