A Very Special Friendship
One day, several years ago, I got an inbox message from a man named Doyle, saying,
“If Cobb ever goes missing, I just want you to know, my wife will probably have him.”
I responded and then he went on to tell me how much his wife, Doris, loved Cobb’s posts and looked forward to them daily. Recently, he explained, she had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and had been very down about the diagnosis and everything it would mean as the disease progressed.
I sent her some “Cobb Swag” hoping to cheer her up. She then also reached out to me on Facebook and we immediately developed a friendship. They live in South Carolina, and we frequently traveled to the same area. One day we knew we would be there and we let our new friends know.
We arranged a visit and, that was the day that Doris met Cobb and held him in her lap for a couple hours. He didn’t budge once. Cobb knows love when he feels it, and he certainly felt loved sitting with her.
This was the only time we ever met in person, but Doris and I carried on a friendship via phone and text for years. As her disease progressed, it became harder for her to talk on the phone, and texting was much easier for her. We often shared long, deep, meaningful conversations in this way.
We had so many things in common, from dogs, to politics and just about everything in between. We often joked that we could solve the world’s problems with a Doris & Joni presidential run.
About a week and a half ago, I got a text from Doris telling me she felt she was being nudged by God that she was getting near to a transition. She wasn’t scared to die, she assured me, but she just knew that once she accepted that nudge, there wouldn’t be any turning back. We talked through that subject together and then wrapped up our conversation, as we often did, wishing that we lived closer to each other.
I didn’t hear anything for a few days, so I sent her a text just telling her that I was thinking about her. Her husband Doyle texted me from her phone telling me she was pretty weak and couldn’t text me back. He updated me on her declining condition and continued updating me daily.
Yesterday, August 19th, Doyle told me that Doris accepted the nudge she had felt from God, and she is now free from Parkinson’s Disease and all the pain associated with it.
While I am sad that Doris and I won’t get to have our deep conversations any longer, I am so happy that Cobb (and Doyle) gave me such a special friendship with such a beautiful soul.
My friendship with Doris would never have happened without Cobb instigating it, and Doyle reaching out to tell me of his wife’s love of Cobb. This is one of the most cherished friendships that Cobb has ever orchestrated.
His ability to do that, all without saying a word, is what we lovingly refer to as “Cobb Magic”.
I'm so glad that my sweet friend was able to experience that. I also love knowing that he has a very special guardian angel in Heaven, watching over him.
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