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Sunday, June 27, 2010

Angels Without Wings

When I was sitting around the other day, feeling sorry for myself (like most job hunters will do every few days), I ran across some memories of people I have known. I like memories that make me smile. 

I think that we tend to remember people in pieces, not in the whole, because we learn people in pieces. We meet someone and either we connect momentarily or we get something deeper. Some of the people who I've connected with are the ones I was thinking of the other day. Here are some of the pieces of them that I remember:
  • I didn't think I liked this particular woman when I first met her. It was the circumstances: job stress and office politics/mistrust. But, thank goodness, I got over it. This woman is one of the most real people I know. She is funny and smart and true to herself. When she got married, I was invited to the wedding and came late only to find that she cared enough about me that she had been waiting for me. Isn't that something? I didn't know until then how much she liked me. It's always bothered me that I didn't know. When I think of her, one of the first things that comes to mind is the story she told of once riding a mule to get some cigarettes (this is back when she smoked), and I can never think of that without getting a fit of giggles. In my mind, she is a flower child.
  • Another woman I know is one of those who has been through some serious life shit and come out fighting every time. A survivor. We have certain parallels in our lives that connect us. We have deep love for parents we lost. We have struggles that no one else can understand. We don't give up. We once had what we call our "sidewalk talk." The only bad thing I can say about this chick is that she looks younger than her dang kids. I'm not kidding. No one should look that good to have kids (and grandkids). I'm hating on that just a little bit, but, girlfriend, you know I still love ya! 
  • One of my girlfriends is what I think of as my "sis-mama" because I love her like a sister and she has mothered me through some rough times. When I was completely on the edge of despair (no, not just on the edge, but about to teeter over), this lady was there to either catch me if I fell or slap me back into place. She housed me, fed me, let me cry and did it all without making me feel as lost as I was. When I think of her, I think of a bejeweled angel. She not only blessed me with her friendship, she even gave me another "sister."
  •  And I can never forget a certain young lady who was pretty much just a kid when I met her. She was so young and wide-eyed that I can't believe that her child is now just about the age she was when I met her. Good mercy! Time just goes by like a dream that you can't remember all the details of. How can little miss thang have a big old grown child??? I love ya, girlfriend!
  • Of course, my bestest girlfriend is the sister that my mother gave me. What would I have ever done in life without my big sister? Oh, I'd be such a lost soul!!! I can't put words to everything that my sister is to me, so I'll just leave that alone.
Like a lot of people, I believe in guardian angels, but I know that my angels  are the ones that God sent to me in the form of good friends. They are flesh and blood, flawed and wonderful people that I will always have my memories of. Some of them will be in my life every day, some of them will be in and out of my life. That's okay because no matter where they physically are at any given moment, parts of them are always right here in my heart.

Peace
--Free