Remember Pen Pals

I purchased my condo about 4 years ago.  When I moved out of the big house I left many things behind.  It was really time to start new, leaving the old life behind.  And actually, the "old life" or life from a much more simple time is a design theme I love.  I talking about a much more simple time, the 50s and 60s.  My condo was built in the 60s, perfect.  It has not really been updated a whole lot.  So I decided to continue that theme.  Anyway, I went to the "trade days" in Fredericksburg in August 2007.  It's a great event, sort of like a big antique/flea market with lots of cool stuff.  I was specifically looking for a chandelier to go above my dining table.  I had seen one in a condo that was for sale but the light fixture was not.  I told the realtor that day I was interested in that chandelier if the new buyers wanted to sell it.  I wanted one similar to that one.  At the market in one booth, I found one I liked a lot, along with a very nice lady.  She and I struck up a conversation.  I told her about the one I had seen and what I was looking for.  Talking between us just came easily and we had much in common with our love for old things and our talents for sort of making something from nothing.  I have no idea how long we talked but I finally told her I wanted to look a little more.  In the trip I didn't find anything else I like better, however, hers was a little smaller than I had planned for.  I told her how much I liked it however, it was not exactly what I was looking for.  I got her email address and phone numbers.  We visited a while longer.  There was just something about this instant relationship but I could not put my finger on it but I could feel it in my bones.    

Months went by, probably three.  I got a call from that realtor, the new buyers in fact did not want that chandelier and wanted to "give" it to me.  Wow, what I gift.  I had it installed above my dining room.  It looked fabulous!  I email my new friend to tell her this story. Some time went by.  I can't say how much.  I emailed her again.  She was no longer employed at the same place but someone there had seen the email and forwarded it to her.  She and I began emailing each other regularly.  We became "pen pals" of sorts, like in the days I was a child.  In school we wrote some letters to kids overseas.  I don't even remember if they ever wrote back.  But my friend did.  We began to share intimate details of our lives.  We shared out faith.  We shared our thoughts and our suggestions.  We became incredible friends.  While she is not old enough to be my mother, she is a bit older, and wiser by far.  She always had just the right thing to say.  We shared information about our children, our spouses, our families.  To date we have been friends over 4 years.  We have only talked on the phone once (when I was nervous about applying for a new job that would have created a move for me) and seen each other twice…  The second time only recently when we went to Roundtop/Warrenton Antique Weekend.  We met there, shopped, and then I went to her house and spent the night.  We visited like old friends.  We shared some ideas and dreams.  Then we slept.  We traveled back to Warrenton the next day for more shopping and sharing.  Our lives finally included talking sharing in person, meeting some of her family (she had met my daughter when she was attending A & M in College Station ), hugging each other hello and goodbye and talking into the night like best friends.  She gave me a book about blessing others.  She is truly a blessing to me.  Although we do not see each other often, our relationship is something special.  It is a gift.  I thank God for her.  Our friendship will last for a lifetime.  I can feel it in my bones. 

Encourage One Another