{Five Minute Friday} Friend

This is to the forever friends and the coffee shop friends. This is for the ones who gave me a place to land as I roamed through your lives.

 This is to the ones who stayed up with me all hours of the night.

This is to the ones who loved me.

This is the ones who opened up their hearts and homes to me.

This is to the ones who talked with me about Jesus, doubts, fears, and insecurities, with that raw vulnerability that few give.

This is to the ones who don't talk regularly anymore.

This is to the ones who came up with codes and wrote letters to be deciphered.

This is to the ones who saw a lonely heart and gave love and a place to land.

Thank you.

Thank you to all who were my friend, for brief times or long times, for ones who are just beginning, I see and remember those kindnesses. The ones who listen. The ones who share. The ones who come to me with their problems.

Friends double joy. They take some of the pain. They cry with you over chocolate and aching feet and aching hearts.

This is the love song to the friends.

The ones that have faded in my rear view mirror, but remain close to my heart.

To the ones who pursued even over distance, time, and space.

Friends are irreplaceable and vital to a full human existence. They see you, they welcome you, they help you when you are alone and you maybe just need someone to talk with.

Being a friend is one of the greatest callings and best investments we can make in our lives.

Because in being a friend, you invest that most precious of commodities: time.

You see a person, and you give them your irreplaceable, limited time. Even just an hour. It's a gift. And it's precious.

So to all those who have given me that gift, that open clock, those moments shared, I thank you.

Of Beginnings and Crawfish and Sleepless Nights

Sarah

It's funny how, of all the people we meet in the course of our lives, some people stick when others fade into the grey, misty moor of the past. I love how C.S. Lewis says it: "Friendship is when one person says to another: 'What! You too? I thought that no on  but myself...'"

That quick fusion that ignites the moment you meet a forever-friend is unique and beautiful. Because of my somewhat nomadic childhood, many dear people have fallen by the wayside of my life's tortuous journey. I haven't been able to maintain 'current' relationships with many precious people. But a few people keep up on a regular basis despite moves and hardships and heartbreaks.

Courtney is one of those people.

We first met in Louisiana, though we had unwittingly been at the same debate tournament years before in Baton Rouge. The time we actually 'met,' we were on a campaign for Bobby Jindal and were in charge of a group of students for a week.

And oh how we laughed and cried and shared our hearts and trudged through the 239% humidity.

That campaign was perhaps one of the hardest events I'd done, all alone, leading a campaign effort with other teens. We worked long hours and were responsible for things far beyond our years. We cried and laughed and ate piles of chocolate. And for some reason, Courtney and I shared a spark that would turn out to be a life-long fire, illuminating and warming my heart for years to come.

After that, Courtney and I stayed in touch. We both joined TeenPact at staffers. I remember sitting with her on the back porch of our hosts' guest house, both of us budding young women, and sharing deep thoughts and conversations.

And now we still stay in contact as regularly as our lives allow and do life together - even from a great distance. Because ultimately 'doing life' is about sharing the heart and not necessarily activities.

Courtney

I met Sarah at a student project for a political candidate. Going into the experience, I was excited to work with other like-minded people and excited about what God might do during the week; there was laughter, tears, prayer, late nights, and other things experienced by the leadership team. Along with a productive and blessed experience at the project, I had the opportunity to make a genuine, legitimate, long-term, dear friend. When I initially met Sarah I recognized that she had a unique sparkle to her personality and throughout our time working together I came to learn how much we had in common and how special a person she was. In the short time of knowing each other during our work on the project,we shared bouts of laughter, adventures, and meaningful conversations.

We parted ways-at the time living in different states- and found ourselves at other events through the organization, TeenPact. I recall more deep conversation, more laughter, and fun times. I have great memories of talking about life and sharing dreams.

We've never actually lived in the same city; but are blessed with great memories and special conversations.

The past few years have brought challenges for both us; it's been a blessing to walk through life together. We share a love for God, have southern roots, and cherish the relationships in our lives. It's special to write and share thoughts with my friend.

Together

And this is why have decided to start this blog. We wanted a way to connect with each other and other like-minded people in this transient world and have a venue to share thoughts and ideas and fellowship.

We hope you'll join us! Our vision for this blog is to be an encouragement to anyone who happens to stumble upon it.

So here's to adding a little lagniappe in your life! :)