I think this was really brought to a head when 3 women moved from our Ward. I counted all 3 as friends. what is a friend? what constitutes a friend in your life? do we all have the same description of the word friend? As I started thinking about people I really wanted to talk with, to hear from, to have a link with them, I realized that my friends have some common elements and then some unique qualities. Each has entered my life at a time that will become shared. A single shared incident can create a connection that will always be there. Tonight I had one of those moments relived.
I called my friend, Pat, of 45 years or so, to catch up on life. We obviously go way back! We've shared a lot of life experiences and that is a story for another time. I told her that I was feeling extremely sentimental about people that had impacted my life and she was of course head of the class. One such incident memory was with her SIL Bruce. She, for now, is living with her daughter and Pat said something to Bruce, who was coming in from Bishop duties. I asked her if I could say hi to him.
Bruce and I had shared a single experience that has been a part of our shared history. I was doing a weekly religious radio show at our little PBS station. I had asked if I could provide my own engineer to handle the control board as I wanted someone LDS in the booth. Bruce was the man. We met each week and he handled all the equipment. The way it worked was a taped live interview and it was an hour show, with no playbacks. It included music of the featured minister, and him preaching a bit, and me asking questions after having read their doctrinal books. We had it down to a workable enjoyable format.
One Sunday we had a Pentecostal Preacher and the gift of tongues was the topic of the moment. I have no idea how it happened but I said something like...you mean you can pray at will? like right now? I was startled when he said that he guessed it would be alright. I reassured him I was asking a question not making a suggestion. He said that it would be okay.
The poor fellow really struggled, made many sounds, broke into a sweat, was confused as to why he couldn't do it. I felt so sorry for him. It was dreadful. He was shaken. I told him that Bruce would cut that out and splice the tape so that wouldn't be heard. Seems to me it was like 3 minutes of him struggling. He said it could be left in the show. I said, it puts you in a bad light. let Bruce edit it. Finally he agreed and said, he guessed he couldn't cast his pearls before swine.
He left and Bruce started reeling that tape off and into my purse. We were going to stuff it in my purse and innocently carry it out of the building as we didn't want to risk getting into trouble with the tape stuffed in the trash and all of the ?? etc. It was truly an I Love Lucy moment in reel life!
Tonight Bruce and I relived that one hour of so of an event that we will never forget. Bruce said tonight that he didn't think he'd ever laughed so hard in his life. When either of us thinks of the scene we are just brought back to that single broadcast more than any others. We laughed ourselves silly on the phone recounting how the tape was going everywhere and seemed to be multiplying.
We both felt compassion for the preacher and weren't laughing at him. It was the situation. Wonder if this little condensed story will be misunderstood? I hope not.
It's just one of the things that I realized this week. That many of my most cherished moments are in small time frames, not all are the length of my friend Pat. I love these people so deeply when we share our mortal treks. I'm wondering if others feel that same way. I found a note from a former Seminary Student, written about a year ago.
Nancy- I love you! I need to hear from you- You were such a great part of my high school life.
love, Kelly
she then gave her address etc. I truly love her and yet our only real connection was early morning Seminary. She was so precious. She had the entire responsibility to get herself to school and to Seminary. It was a very hard thing to accomplish. She faithfully came but it was always at the end of the class. The very end. I would be prepared to quickly summarize in 5 minutes the class she had missed. She was wonderful. Such a strong connection for such a brief time together. She is now a mother of 8 and a grandma!!
I've really thought this week of the power that resides in each of us when we do our callings to the best of our abilities and not slack off. We don't realize that we touch hearts as ours are touched. We impact people and are perhaps clueless about it. I look forward to contacting Kelly and the others on my list.
This thinking of friends all got started when 3 women moved from our Ward. Tamera and her family. Kathryn and her daughter, Maurine. All 3 are friends. It was emotional for me. They are all at different ages and stages in their lives. That is another thing about friends, there is something we share in common and it may not be the same share in all of our friends.
Tamera, is the mother of 4, 3 are adopted. As is she. We can talk openly about the happenings of birth families entering our lives. We understand what goes on inside of each other. I had burnt my hand and didn't go to the open house for her leaving. I have no idea when she came by and left a gift on the swing. I recognized by the wrap and ribbon that it was her doing! I will put her card, with her beautiful tender words, in my treasure chest. I know others received like gifts as she is that way. Also isn't it great how we can be friends with lots of people? I told her that I will drop by Pier One when I get lonely for her and feel like I'm in her home!! They weekly sat in front of us at Church.
Maurine moved here with her husband to care for her Mother, Kathryn, after she was widowed. I appreciated Maurine's steadfastness and service to her Mother. We connected on the practical level of life as to what could be done, rather what could I do, to help Kathryn. Kathryn and I loved to talk about the Gospel. What she was studying. what she was learning. We shared a lot of life. I, alone, was with her at the hospital when the Dr. told her that her husband would only live a few more hours. I remember standing behind her wheel chair and thinking I didn't belong there. I was hearing things meant for family and not a RS President. I stayed until some of her children arrived. We have shared a lot of things from the heart. Her health is compromised. She is in her mid-80's. She gave me a sugar bowl from Brazil, rocks from Laraquete, Chili that you lick and a cross is revealed, and a yoke for oxen from Brazil. She gave me books and let me go through her library after the family had chosen what they want. What a choice friend she is.
The thoughts of these wonderful people that have moved into my life and then faded out are all tugging at my heartstrings and I will contact them and tell them of my love and gratitude and the impact they have had on me.
After returning from lunch with my friend last week, Terry mentioned that it takes a lot of work to keep a friendship alive. I agreed. It's so worth it.
Each of you that read my blog, allowing me to share my thoughts and feelings with you, are my special friends in a private way. Thank you! We share a love of life and the Gospel and it doesn't get better than that!
PS- Pat... you mean the world to me and it was great to talk to you, get caught up on each others life and rekindle a never ending friendship. You know I love you!
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