Unlikely Friendship

More bad news sits on the horizon. Waiting, ticking like a time bomb,

sneaking in like a thief. Restless and hungry. How could she even imagine this unlikely friend, one she would never have invited into her life. This wretched tortured, soulless unlikely to ever be a friend.She had always tried to stay ahead or so she thought. Waiting, plotting and hoping she would trip and fall on her face. Poor, poor little Valerie. Yes similar to the childhood song and new songs.. I love to go a wandering and Valerie in many versions. Ah ha caught you singing her song! I know all different . For that same reason l saw her when she was quite small. The Lord’s chosen one surrounded by family, friends, parents and God parents. Her church and community. She would never stray from her protection. Yes I know unlikely friendships are everywhere. Who is writing this story you may ask? Is this the child now or the adult who has perhaps traveled to both Heaven and hell? I refuse to capitalize hell. This unlikely friendship does not deserve that sort of recognition. I am just writing this story as the words come. She has crossed path with him before. As a child for no rhyme or reason for was he never given permission to haunt her dreams. What reason, this innocent child, would he test her faith? She does not even know, she never cried out only prayed those prayers she had learned every Sunday morning in church. She went to confession as a child and as a young adult. Unlikely that I would leave this child alone, for The Lord never lets his children stray far. She knew she would be tested all her life. May people have crossed her paths, none have ever been by coincidence. All have not been good people, she would have to learn the difference. Just like everyone in this world. How many friendships have come and gone? How many have you walked away from, knowing those choices may be difficult? Short lived, lifetimes, created memories all lessons. The darkness the light where was everyone standing? I have walked through many fires, not by choice, life, deaths, pain, sorrow tragedy. No one ever said life would be easy. No one ever said you couldn’t ask for help. She never has, probably never will, we’ll except for prayers. That part is easy, not for her, but for others. That is just me! Lord you gotta love her! On earth some people come to the realization that you have more than one job. Someone in her family passed it on to her. Grandmother Ruth, her angel, in life and in death. She had said to me after her fathers death, I was only 25. You know you are the only grandchild who is allowed to sit on my lap as an adult. It is because when I was in the hospital, you called me every day to see how I was. You have been special since the day you were born. It is now your time to be the protector and guiding angel for your family. This job will be hard, be wise be careful of the friendships you make. Those are the last words she spoke to me. My father’s death was one of many to follow. Of course unlikely friendships always came knocking on my door, because I felt weak, and the darkness came more than the light. We all stray from the goodness, we drink away the pain. It’s easier until you are stone cold, and hit rock bottom, not once but several times. Good in, bad out repeat repeat repeat. I have never completely lost faith, because I have always been stronger than the demons. Oh yes never be fooled. They come in all shapes, sizes, and friendships. These lessons are never ending. I have held tight to my Father’s King James Bible since his death. It holds more greater power than any force in this world. Trust me, because I have been up against the worst. They don’t always leave me alone, but they know they can’t win. Yes, my trials have not ended, but I made a promise to my grandmother to stay and fight. I wanted to write this story about unlikely friendships because life just keeps throwing me curveballs. I should just lay down and duck, cover my head or wear a helmet! I can’t and I refuse to be beaten. Yes I have true friends, few who would lay down their life for me, though I would never ask. What two people would create such an unlikely friendship? Is it the person that became your mother’s lifetime partner who was not your father? Who left the family because she married too young, who thought someone else would make her happier? That person who you hated for tearing apart your family when you were only a teenager? That person who was beside himself on your mother’s deathbed and begged you to put a stop to her wishes not to be resuscitated . Who you spent years growing up trying to understand why your mother chose him? Only as an adult to become unlikely friends because he truly had loved her. When you explain in prayer to your own father in heaven that you were doing this because your grandmother had asked you as a child to protect all family even him. It was because everyone’s pain was just as much as yours and who am I to judge ? Certainly not as what I am. I have always believed in Angels. All, above in Heaven and Earth. What job do you think my grandmother gave to me? All here on earth and accounted for. What is the definition of friendship likely or unlikely? Are we to be judge and jury? Yes I have made mistakes, I have been Miss Fix this person, and I can certainly make that person a better person. Well you think that I have learned? I am not a child anymore nor a young adult. I have conquered fear somewhat and the darkness knocks less on my door and in my dreams. Yes pain, sorrow and death are still part of my life as I am sure many of you feel the same. However I wish and pray that they were less. When you work in healthcare, sadly death is part of why you are in this job. It does not make it easier, but I am grateful for the likely and unlikely friendships that have formed over the years. Strangers brought together in an unlikely place, time as if the universe had spun this web. All of this is quite unusual. You wake every morning and go off to your jobs, many people will cross your path. Is this the center of your world? Will you choose to speak to this person? Will you form new friendships? Let’s say you were walking on a beach enjoying the beautiful water the landscape the peace-fullness. In the the distance you see a man tall and skinny with beautiful Snow White hair. Would you stop and speak to him? You stop because you are curious. You have never been on this beach before. You too are here because you are also searching for what the beach is known for. Sea glass old pottery pieces. Long gone is the factory that sat high upon the cliffs . Scattered on the hilltops are windswept white board homes that formed the historic legacy of this seaside town. Crooked wooden steps sway into the haggard cliffs washed by the ocean waves, sleeping among the fallen trees. Your eyes strain against the sun and this stranger smiles hand outstretched to say hello. You take his hand in a strong grip smiling with kind eyes saying hello also. His face is weathered by the sun his white shirt is crisp and khaki shorts have been dusted by the sand. His white hair falls below his collar as if the breeze has put it there. You stand as the waves of the cool tide sweeps over both your feet. He asks if you have had much luck finding pieces of glass. You nod your head and show him your can with a few small colored glass pieces. It’s my first time here. I ask him , he explains he spends his summers here, he is a writer and points to his house up on the cliff. I am intrigued, he writes about life, his travels. I don’t ask his name oddly enough. I listen as he talks about his life in Los Angeles his work and how he uses the sea glass to make jewelry. We walk eyes on the beach, poking the gravel with our feet . He shows me where to look and the history of the beach . The old pottery factory and everything they made and eventually how all it ended up in the ocean. We talk for quite sometime and I tell him that I am here for a friend’s wedding. We find more pieces. He thanks me for the conversation as I do the same. He tells me to try looking near where the tide is coming in. He reaches into his bucket and hands me a few of his pieces. I thank him for his gracious gesture. I turn to look where he pointed as I see something shiny and blue, when I pick it up it is a beautiful piece of blue pottery. I turn to show him but he has disappeared. How is that possible? When it had only been a few seconds . I look up and down the beach for him. I look towards the only set of stairs where he could have walked to get back. He is nowhere to be seen. I turn back to where I had found the pottery piece only to discover more. How unusual, as if he knew. I see other people approaching and chat with them about our new treasures. I ask if they had seen this gentleman and they say the have not seen anyone else. I return to my hotel and ask the staff, they also do not know of anyone who fits this description of the man who lives high on the cliffs. I still do not know to this day. My mind can still see him clearly and I remember his face, his gentle voice, and that this was truly an unlikely friendship between two strangers. We formed a bond that day, each of us needing something to write about, to remember. I am not sure. Was this an angel, sent to me in a time when I was unsure about something in my life? Most likely, they cross our paths more often then we realize. I am thankful for all of them, all my likely and unlikely friendships.

R