Boy, it's been a bit since my last entry. Needless to say, I've been busy and I just don't want to write to write--I want to write because I have something to say.
So today I say:
Sometimes, you just need a girl friend.
And this evening I really needed one. Not because there was some great tragedy/conflict I needed to share or resolve, but because I needed some time outside my house, outside the glorious chaos that can be my family, outside my work space to reconnect with a friend, to walk around a lake (especially since the incessant rain finally let up), to gain a feminine, friendly perspective. And not just any girl friend, but I wanted to spend some time with Leah (not myself, but a friend of the same name). The 'other' Leah.
I took a chance to spontaneous call her on my way to trim my untamed bangs to see if she could meet up. Such was the simultaneous sigh of relief and squeal of delight when she said she could!
Simply put, Leah is great. She is effervescent and compassionate. She's a spectacular hostess, fantastic cook, and supreme organizer. Her heart is big and her hugs bigger. She gives, gives, gives. She is sincere with her words, has a diplomatic way with words, and get her in front of children behaving not quite how they should and watch out for 'the teacher' to come out. She has such a confidence and quiet authority when managing children--she knows how to speak to them with respect, but again with reassuring authority. She is whimsical and yet down-to-earth. I really admire her.
And tonight, by coming out with me to walk around the Centennial Lake Park, she helped fill up my Cup.
What is the 'Cup' that I so brashly capitalize its 'c'?
It's the Cup in my heart that holds the stuff that inspire, propel, embroider, accentuate, enhance, delight, and generally make me feel alive and help me with perspective. Worthy enough to literally write home about or in this case, blog. Cups are usually filled when you take the time to fill them--but it cannot be a contrived venture. You can't just make a list and say: 'To Do: fill my Cup'. Well, actually, I guess you can and should, but the actual 'filling' must be a little more organic. They are filled and can be filled by several methods--but all involve being present in the moment...
We smelled the lilacs tonight--I mean really inhaled the scent--it might be even safe to say that we drunk it up, in heaving gulps with our noses.
We smiled knowing smiles at a young couple sitting at the edge of lake dipping their toes in the water as the young man put his arm around the young woman's waist.
We cooed at fuzzy dogs and chubby kids as they all scuttled around us as we walked.
We silently admired two gentlemen push their very elderly, fragile and thin mother in wheelchair.
We dreamed of picnics under the pergolas that were dripping with hanging baskets of flowers.
We paused our conversation to watch a painted turtle bask on a rock and spied her three babies nosing their ways to the surface of the lake through the reeds guarding its banks.
Great puffy clouds silently slid across the sky meaning no harm. Geese honked. Children laughed. And paddleboats swished their way, meandering at times over the water.
Most of this admiring and dreaming was done silently and simultaneously as we talked about so many things.
Leah hushed my confessions of insecurities with words of encouragement. She checked me--kept me true by reminding me who I am. We praised God for answered prayers. We picked at knots of problems--loosening their tension with uplifting words, clarity and varied perspective--unravelling them with solutions and ideas.
Simply put, Leah laid down two hours of her life to be my friend and it helped me fill my Cup all the way to the top. She blessed me tonight. Maybe you think that 'bless' is soft-pinked-wrinkled-cheeked-grandma sort of word. I see it as gold-shimmering-mantle-engulfing-and-solidifying word. I was and am blessed by her friendship.
Thank you, Leah.
Sometimes you just need a girl friend.
