Thinking About a Friend In Dublin
September 2019:
I was traveling with my daughters on our way from Galway to Dublin in Ireland, when I began writing to a young friend of mine.
Me:
Hi friend,
I’m on my way from Galway to Dublin, traveling with Kailagh and Colleen. They have encouraged me to message you today because, clearly, you’re on my mind. I don’t think things happen by accident. I’ve felt the need all morning to reread ALL our texts to each other, going back to 2015. God has been pouring more truths into me from our words to each other. I’m being reminded again how we are ALL so intricately interwoven. We were MEANT to be interwoven! We need to be looking for love and value in the NOT SO OBVIOUS people God puts in our days. If we shed our prejudices, fears, and ignorances, AND try to see the oneness and worth in each other, it would be so easy to love.
We, as people/ a culture/ a world, in large part, think we must be strong, independent, self-sufficient, and private. BUT... coupled with sensitivity, compassion, and vulnerability... we’re much more well-equipped humans. There must be a balance.
Re-reading your words, helped me see how support and encouragement help set the bar higher, to want better for each other and ourselves because He wants the best for us. That could mean to just exist, even as it did for me when I didn’t want to exist. I didn’t see the value in it. God places people in our path to show us we still have worth and we’re not done here yet. Steven was funny and a deep thinker. He was kind and forgiving. He was gentle and humble, creative and in need of a little push to be ambitious. All that to say, we really never know what gifts God has given us that would speak volumes to people watching us. I’m learning so much from Steven, even after these five years. I’ve learned so much from YOU, even more after rereading your text this morning. We might not have all the answers, but just like God impressed on my heart to go back and process the conversations you and I have had, we grow deeper in truths every time we revisit lessons.
God wanted me to grow. God wanted you to grow. I believe He wanted us to do that for each other. I’m loving the fact that, in reality, our paths may not have crossed, at least not as beautifully as they did... but God knew we were a good fit. You’ve been an absolute precious treasure in my life. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being patient with me when I’d babble with excitement on chemo days and for lovingly investing in me.
I had some songs recorded on my phone that you encouraged me to listen to. I’ve been playing them all over Dublin…Loudly. Lol.
Peace and love to you my friend.
