Where the Wild Things Are...

There are very few times in life that you get exactly what you need, when you have no idea it is what you need, or that you need anything at all.

A few years ago, this happened to me.

It was chilly and rather rainy outside as I stepped up onto the doorstep of the little brick town house complex. I was there to attend a party, and the door was opened by this bubbly lady with large eyes and a cat under her arm. Her smile was infectious and her energy was refreshing, like having a wave of cool water wash over you in a hot summer afternoon. I walk into her home and immediately felt like -I- was at home. Her living room was tastefully decorated in rich colors and is free of clutter and though it was sophisticated, it held an underlying air of Home. Home in the sense that you know you can lay on that spotless furniture and take a nap. More importantly, it was an environment that you know you can be you and, Lord knows, I needed somewhere to be me.

This woman was intriguing to say the least. With her cat still under her arm, she navigated the room, speaking to everyone in turn and serving margaritas. The most amazing part? That when she looked at you, she looked AT you. She smiled AT you. She personalized each greeting, and made each person feel special and I, even though I was a stranger in her home- a new comer, was no exception.

What spoke volumes about her, was what happened next. It was when her husband walked into the room... her face lit up. If ever there was a question as to whether or not he is the love of her life, that look would have squashed it. There it was, plain as day. He was her knight in shining armor, her partner in crime, her best friend. I know that look... I have a man that I give that look to often. I knew, when I saw that face, that we had more in common than I first thought.

I was sad that night that our time didn't last longer. It was like finding an oasis in a desert, and then being forced to march on. It occurred to me that I want this strange, fascinating person in my life. And so, began a friendship.

At this point, one may wonder what makes this one person so special? Well, if you have to ask after being in her presence for even the first 5 minutes, then you do not deserve her in your life. She delights in the simplest things, and giggles uncontrollably at the same things I do. She, like me, is the kind of person who is just as apt to sing a silly jingle from an advertisement than the latest hit song... and who doesn't keep up with the top hits anyway. Together, we can make an adventure out of anything... trying on wedding dresses, when neither of us are renewing our vows any time soon; eating lamb for the first time at a mediteranian restaurant that we found entirely on accident. We love much of the same things, despise much of the same things and cry over the same things. We worry over things like hurting near strangers feelings, but have no problem telling people where to stuff it when we feel the urge. We are strange... and we are beautiful. In a way that a lot of people would never understand.

Now, let me tell you what this friendship does for me. When I am down, this is the person I call to remind me that I am worth knowing. When I am lonely, this is the person who lets me know that I am never alone. When I am misunderstood, she is quick to assure me that I am not the first person to feel or think the way that I do. She is one of my first lines of defense against the world, and the quickest person to jump in line beside me and help me battle anything that life throws at me. She is confident, so much so that it rubs off on me when I need it most. She is self assured in her convictions and where most waver, she holds fast. She thinks in a straight line, when my thoughts are doing cork screws. I can walk into a room with her roaring like a lion and walk out a lamb. She feeds my temper when necessary, and quells it when it is not. She is everything, though she will likely tell you that she is nothing. She inspires me, and is the reason that I am here, on this blog, explaining my life one page at a time as we speak.

I love love love her. She is my kindred spirit. I can only hope that I have touched her life as much as she has touched mine. It is another fond hope of mine that in case I forget to tell her exactly how much she has helped me and now much she means to me, this blog will serve as a testimonial of my admiration and adoration of her for her should she ever need the reminder... so far, I've enjoyed the ride and I hope that she has too.