Friends

How many people are lucky enough to have a life long friend?
I met my friend Gail when I was 13 years old. We’d both been sent to a summer camp through our local churches. I think we both felt some sort of connection to God back then, but it wasn’t terribly defined.
So there we were, two awkward 13 year old girls. We thought we were all grown up and knew it all. And I think we had this idea of what our lives were going to be.
Of course we were very, very wrong.

All through my life, during the good times and the bad, Gail has been there. She loved my kids like they were her own, and my pets too. (you should see Shubi following her around the house now!)
When I had my accident, Gail came up and stayed with me. She held me and comforted me, and mourned my loss like it was her very own, yet at the same time, she was able to give to me a certain peace in all the confusion.
The interesting part of our relationship is that we have never lived in the same place. We have always lived more then 100 miles apart. As teens our communication was done by snail mail. Even now, most of our letters are done this way. There is something about the written word, that is lost in this hurry up world.
So perhaps we know each other better because we do spend the time to actually write down our thoughts and feelings.
So today, I am celebrating 33 years of knowing this wonderful friend and “adopted” sister. Someone I chose all those years ago, to have in my life, and yet looking back I realize that she is truly a gift from God!