Present Blessing from the Past

I recently got reconnected with one of my best friends from my old college days - and wow! how awesome it was to hear from her!! I can't believe how much I missed her, even though I knew how much she's always meant to me ever since we first met. She was a kindred spirit to me. She was one of my first two roommates, we had TONS in common - we were both vocalist in the music department, we were both in a Christian singing group called Reflections together, and as I recall, we were both really into our men at the time in addition to having similar personalities. She was more outgoing though, and was involved in more activities than I was. It seemed like everyone knew her, and those who knew her, loved her. She was one of those caring, passionate souls who was contagious in her love of life! She's still like that now, and I can't imagine her ever dulling down. (↑ This is a picture of us in college - first day in the dorm)

One major difference in personalities back in the day was that I was much more reflective and isolated within myself or in my small pocket of allies. I've never been shy in the least, just way too emotionally independent to need many friends or family. A pioneer spirit, I've burned nearly every bridge behind me in life in attempts to pursue a future without a past to hold me down. Even in churches and schools all growing up - I had a strict relationship limit, and even those relationships were all subject to change (dropped or replaced eventually) in my mindset. How odd that sounds in writing, but I'm sure I'm not the only one in the world like that. Time was most precious to me, more precious than people, so since people take time, I chose to select my very limited number of friends carefully, based on time-management and trust. This particular friend met both fundamental requirements for me - and ended up blessing me far more than she'll ever know.

After my second year of college, I got married and moved away... and my husband and I moved almost once a year every year after that for seven years straight. Naturally, my friend and I lost touch often, quickly, and very easily. So how was she able to finally track me down, you ask? Well, my husband and I finally stopped pioneering and settled instead. About two years ago, we took the plunge and bought a house, which besides money requires a certain time commitment to the location. We planted roots - spiritual roots anyway. We got online (as you can see), we put ourselves out there, we allowed God to establish us where He wanted us. So we dedicated ourselves to longer-term projects and relationships as God led despite how very unacustomed to that as I was. In this shift in my acceptance to embrace committing my precious time into a steady address, I slowly began to let more people into my life that I am now completely invested in for the long haul! I know, I know - I'm growing. And some bridges that I've burned up, I still need to eventually go back and rebuild if I can. I'm a work in progress like everyone else.

So back to my old college friend... I'm very excited to be able to get her back into my life - more now than ever. I appreciate her in a way now that I probabaly couldn't have before. Hopefully and with God's blessing, we will stay connected this time!