August-October: I met a girl named Ashley. I really liked her. I thought she was pretty and loved her personality, and I wanted to develop a friendship. However, I thought, "Why would she ever want to be a friend with me?" I was struggling through self-esteem issues (I've passed that for now) and could not summon up the courage to talk to her. I eventually said, "It's official: I'll never be able to talk to that girl."
December 15, 2005: Ashley, Leann and I met in the cafeteria for lunch before our Bible Lands exam. We talked and ate and studied. The exam sucked. I dropped off a letter in Ashley's box before I headed home. It talked about how our friendship had evolved, how I came to love her as an adopted sister, even though we had some rough spots in the relationship, and it closed off with a humble benediction. She probably is not coming back next semester. While that is entirely depressing, I am thankful that God let us meet and enabled a solid, genuine friendship to emerge. I see her as one of my greatest college gems thus far. I call her my big sister and she calls me her big brother. We talked on the phone after she got the letter, and she told me she was driven to tears by it. I find it amazing that I could be so close to a girl whom I had given up hope of ever knowing as a friend. Despite her absence, we are keeping in touch--we have cell phones, email, and snail mail. As it appears, a chapter in my life has ended, and I greet the next one with arms wide open...
December 15, 2005: Ashley, Leann and I met in the cafeteria for lunch before our Bible Lands exam. We talked and ate and studied. The exam sucked. I dropped off a letter in Ashley's box before I headed home. It talked about how our friendship had evolved, how I came to love her as an adopted sister, even though we had some rough spots in the relationship, and it closed off with a humble benediction. She probably is not coming back next semester. While that is entirely depressing, I am thankful that God let us meet and enabled a solid, genuine friendship to emerge. I see her as one of my greatest college gems thus far. I call her my big sister and she calls me her big brother. We talked on the phone after she got the letter, and she told me she was driven to tears by it. I find it amazing that I could be so close to a girl whom I had given up hope of ever knowing as a friend. Despite her absence, we are keeping in touch--we have cell phones, email, and snail mail. As it appears, a chapter in my life has ended, and I greet the next one with arms wide open...
1 comment:
You have a really nice way with words, my friend. Thank you for being so transparent in showing yourself, who you are, and the aching that seeps through sometimes.
Andrew Peterson sings that "the sorrow we feel can bring freedom."
Thanks again for visiting my blog. Blessings to you on the journey.
Peter Walker
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