I send you my condolences from the bottom of my heart. It is good that you remembered your friend and took part in the funeral and funeral service. These meetings are very important and are comfort and balm for the bereaved. Yes, feeling grateful for life often goes hand in hand with someone else dying. The eternal cycle of becoming and passing. Everyone leaves behind a unique legacy and will not be forgotten, because everyone has people in life with whom they are connected in love.
How good to know that your friend would have loved how people came together.
Nevertheless, it is a pity about the plant in front of your house. It has radiated beauty through its colours and luminosity. Maybe something new can grow there?
Thank you for your good wishes. Yes the passing is sorrowful but I am again in touch with her lovely grandchildren, so pleasing. As for the little tree, we live in an apartment, fortunately ground floor, but hat little tree belonged to the apartment building next door. I doubt I could get them to grow another. I may sneak a small one in when they aren't looking! Seriously I will speak to our gardener here to see if he can do something. Funny how things grow on you and yet when they are gone you realise how much you miss them Rather like people. By the way, do read a book called "Sapiens - A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari, It's so very interesting. Kind regards jv