Thinking of Our Friend

My phone buzzed as I was getting ready to pull out of my driveway. I don’t know why, but I parked and looked as I somehow instinctively knew it was important. It was only one line before the tears were streaming down my face. I don’t write with the intention of sharing sadness, but rather gladness. We lost someone who meant so much to us, even though we only knew her through quick updates and a few visits.

For years, my friend, Larry Pullman, has called on me once or twice in a year. He is a great media rep. You’ll have to read my other article (which was in progress as this happened) to see why I so value his friendship. But I digress.

Larry visits us, gives us a call or sends us an email every few weeks. We appreciate him for sharing his incredible knowledge and for teaching us how to do our business better. We love him for sharing himself with grace. Through him, we came to know his beautiful wife, Pam. As Amanda and I struggle to be good business women, we try to balance motherhood, friends and family. I think that is why we were so drawn to Larry and Pam. Pam was a righteous business woman, mother, wife and friend. And she made it look easy.

Together Larry and Pam juggled incredibly successful careers, loved and parented their children, celebrated and loved their grandchild, and along the way, they dipped out spoonfuls of that love and grace to everyone they met. I am blessed with a wonderful husband, but in my rush to learn and do, I haven’t acquired their gentle hospitality that balances everything through love. I want to live like Larry and Pam.

Pam passed away yesterday after a valiant fight against cancer. We know that Larry’s heart is so heavy with grief, and we can’t imagine one without the other. But we give thanks that they shared so much of themselves that gave us little lessons on how to be better business women, better friends, better mothers, better wives… better people.

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