[I think this is my favorite crazy-letter picture yet…]
I love that a number of you chose the word kindred for your [K] topic, because it’s something I’ve been thinking about so much lately.
Kindred spirits.
And how easy it would have been to miss them.
I never cease to be amazed how, in every stage of my life, God has opened my heart to so many friendships. I love that I have friends who make me laugh until I cry. I love that some of my friends are so shy, until they get comfortable, and then they shock the life out of me with things they say or do. I love that some friends are intellectual and planners. I love that other friends go totally on emotion and spontaneity abounds. I have friends who are so much like me I think we may be the same person, and I have friends who are so opposite of me they keep me looking at life from different angles. I love that God knew I needed all of it and placed me right where I needed to be to find each and every one of them.
I just put up new Christmas photos on my “friend door” and smiled at the diversity. Friends from high school, friends from college, friends from church, friends from blogs and twitter. My Compassion friend, Tsegaye, from another world altogether. Some of those faces I talk to everyday, some I twitter with endlessly, some I haven’t seen or spoken to in way too long… but my heart smiles at the sight of them. I am alone 99% of the time, but I walk by those faces and am amazed by how many people I have with me in my life.
Sometimes I wonder how many I have missed. How many kindred spirits were put right in my path, but I walked by and didn’t pay attention. Because they were different than me. Because I was too busy to stop and pay attention. Because they were too loud or too quiet or too needy. Because I was too tired or too nervous or too insecure. Because they might not have fit into the life I was creating or because I was afraid I did fit into theirs.
I feel like this blog has given me a second chance at meeting kindred spirits I might not have otherwise. There are so many people I never would have been in touch with if it wasn’t for technology. Facebook has brought old friends back into my life I’m sure I wouldn't have spoken to again. Twitter has opened a door to friendships I never could have created in my imagination… people who keep me laughing, people whose stories make me cry, people who ask how I am if I’ve been quiet too long and people who feel like next door neighbors even though we’ll never meet.
And then there are all of you. Real friends. Real kindred spirits. You are all as diverse as the people in my world that came before you… funny, sarcastic, kind, searching, timid, loving, generous, hopeful, discouraged, compassionate. I want you to know that I treasure each and every aspect of each and every one of you. Christmas is as good a time as any to make sure you know you are valued and appreciated. And trust me, you are.
I’m getting quite excited, because a week from today… as long as the weather permits and they stay healthy… I’m going to get to hug a few kindred spirits in person. Jessica, Matthew and Elias have become like family to me, and even though we’ve never met in person, I feel like I’ve spent hours hanging out on their couch and experiencing life with them.
But now I’m going to get to do that for real! They are taking a detour on their way back to Nashville from Wisconsin to see me. Little ol’ me. And here’s the thing: even if the weather turns nasty or they all come down with colds or some other act of fate keeps them away next Monday [which would suck, just to clarify], I have had so much fun just feeling the anticipation of seeing them. Enjoying the thought of welcoming new friends into my home who feel like old friends I just haven’t seen in awhile. I’ve been overwhelmed that they are making such a huge effort and am giddy that I get to kiss Elias’ cheeks until he can’t take it anymore.
Mostly, I’m just very blessed. Blessed with old friends and new friends and friends yet to enter my life.
Kindred spirits. The beautiful gift that keeps on giving.
Ok, you all know what to do… leave me a comment with the [L] topic of your choice and we’ll see what it inspires for next week’s post. :)