Feelin' the Mush

Every once in awhile I like to think of the list of people I consider friends. Some have been on the list a very long time, the ink barely readable but I don‘t have to read the name to know they are there. Some were erased in haste, only to be lovingly re-entered in permanent ink. Some are recent, friendships still in a honeymoon stage. Some have question marks after their names as I am still unsure if they are truly friends, or just really great people that I have the pleasure of crossing paths with. Some have stars and exclamation points.

This list is very life affirming. It makes me feel very special to know that I can call these people, and talk. Some of them we have a specific topic we share: Gardening Friends, Church Friends, Mom Friends. Others I know speak my language and we share reference quotes. Quotable Friends get it when I say “parlez vous Olympics”, You use that word but I do not think you know what it means.” and “ Can you spare a square?”. Mom Friends get it when I crack jokes about my kids, knowing how much I really love and adore the same kids. Don’t think of them as labels, think of them as definitions.

Sometimes one of these friends come into my line of sight because she has done something really awesome. Overcome some hardship, achieved some goal, used the gifts that God has given her to accomplish something really cool and pause worthy.

When Sisterfriend Carol got married to a pretty fabulous guy a few years ago was one of those times. I would have married her myself, she is that wonderful. I think I had as much joy in my heart that day as her own mother.

When New Mom Friend Michelle put her self worth issues aside and went for a job that she was not only qualified for but gifted for.. and got it. My cheers were loud and sincere.

Mom Friend Susan, who scrimped and saved, finally broke ground on her dream house and I cried happy tears.

Church Friend Lee and Mom Friend Becki stood up and used the beautiful voices God blessed them with to lead a worship service and my heart soared with each note.

My life is most wonderfully filled with tales like this. I am a very fortunate woman to have shared these and many other joys with my friends.

Now I want to take a moment to celebrate the most recent Friend Accomplishment. I don’t have a one word title for this type of friend. But you would not be reading these words if it weren’t for her. She quietly encouraged me to write, resulting in this blog. I don’t even know if she did it intentionally, or if the story was just one of weird domino effects. However it happened, I discovered that my fingers and my brain could work together. That I did have something to say that others cared to read.

No Short Title Friend Jennifer Brown, reached for her dream. I wasn‘t around while she did the hard work, made the personal sacrifices and shed the tears necessary to accomplish her dream. BUT in September her first novel, Hate List , will hit store shelves. She has shared the advanced reviews and she has a hit. All the reviewers LOVE IT!! You will love it too, I have no doubt, and can get in on her joy by playing her Hate List/LOVE LIST Contest every Tuesday. Just copy this to your browser and get on Jen’s blog :

http://www.jenniferbrownya.com/apps/blog/show/1277763-love-list-tuesday-love-post-win-#comments

( Here is where I attempt to wrap this up in a clever way..but I just type and delete many sentences that just sound, well, mushy….but they are true. There, you have the truth, I am Mushy. I don’t care. I love these people and I Mush for them!)