Besties

Besties: People that decided to wade through the past months with me.

I am pretty certain they are angels, either to start with or as a result. Regardless, they did things that made this past month or two bearable and even enjoyable, so angels are my type of people.

Turns out that they had no idea of what they were doing at the time. Turns out that they lay awake at night considering what they might say or do to make me feel better, to help me stumble along a little bit longer, to know that they cared.

Turns out that they did perfect.

They asked me "How are you?" and smirked "Yeah right, how are you - really?" when I answered "Fine". They refused to move unless I answered truly. Sometimes they ranted, sometimes they stood glaring until I had eaten, and sometimes they simply shrugged with tears in their eyes.

They didn't tell me what I wanted to hear. They were the first to ask me "So have you prayed about it?" and to ask "Are you sure that's enough?" They gently whispered to me "All this will work out, somehow."

Today they listened, and they followed my lead. Today I vented, they directed it to constructive channels, or let it just all drift away. Some days I refuse to talk about anything but trivial life, movies, books and random nonsense, and they cheerfully join in.

{Carol, Kelli, Laurie, Nicole, B and Heidi was taking the picture!}

They shared themselves. They told me about the frustrations in their lives, their worries and successes. They vented, and moaned and laughed and let me be a friend to them.

They suggested. Unasked for, or requested, they suggested things that might help, ultimately in every area of my life. They have prayed with me and for me.

They allowed my life to affect theirs. I have worried that my marriage's destruction would affect my friends, and it has. They have cast considering eyes on their own marriages, have spoken frankly and in depth to their spouses about marriage. They didn't treat me like a contagious plague, but have pulled me in close to their side and said "Let's go!" even when there were no directions.

They have sent me gifts, texts, emails, books, blog posts, YouTube links and chocolate. They've given me tissues and hugs and raised eyebrows and belly laughs.

They have given me respect, and encouragement, and myself as a person, not a situation.

They have given me their time, their tears, their concern, their advice and their involvement in spite of their belief and fear that what they were doing was not useful. They have given me themselves, and I love them.