Friendship
♥
Whether by
strange coincidence
or divine guidance,
in the course of our life
we cross paths
with many people.
♥
Some move towards us,
others move away.
Some we choose to
remember.
Others to forget.
♥
But with a special few
we seem to have
no choice
for each of us has made
an impact on the other
and their memory
will live on forever.
♥
These people we call friends --
you, to me, are such a one.
-- Dick Innes

Above is a poem that Gangster Woman gave me for my birthday this year. I decided that I would post it here as I tell the story of us because I think it defines our relationship pretty well.
I first met Ms. H on the first day of seventh grade she was my friend Brooke's new aid. New being the key word, see Brooke had a severe case of cerebral palsy that prevented her from talking or walking and I had made it my mission to be her voice. I watched Ms. H like a hawk! I'd known Brooke since the third grade, sometimes people didn't treat her very nicely and I was NOT about to let that happen on my watch.
It was not long before it became apparent that Ms. H had Brooke's best interest at heart. There was a group of us that frequented the special education room during study hall to hang out with Brooke and the other kids. As the weeks went by we all grew to trust and love Ms. H. Before long she invited us to attend youth group at her church where she was the youth leader. We decided to go mostly for social reasons (my boyfriend went there) but we had a great time. She would pick us up every Wednesday night in her Gangster Mobile --a tiny blue Mazda thing with purple tinted windows and little gangster decals in the back windows. Seriously if she did not want to be called Gangster Woman for the rest of her life she should have taken those decals off! Junior Highers just cannot resist such an opportunity to nickname someone.
It was on a Wednesday night --almost a year later, at a special event with Gangster Woman that I asked Christ to be my savior.
Gangster Woman and I have remained good friends over the years and I know that she rejoices with the Lord about the kind of woman I have grown up to be. She now is the pastor of a church in the town where we live. Last night at L. C. (where Hubby and I are youth leaders) one of our guys said, "Hey, guess what? I went out for pizza with my friend's youth group -- and I met Gangster woman." I smiled - and was taken back in time!