Heart Friends

I have been thinking a lot about friendships lately.

So many women I know have sisters. Many of them claim their sister is their best friend.

Others claim individuals they have known since grade school to be their BFF.

I can’t claim either.

I am blessed with two awesome brothers. No sisters.

Growing up, I was shy and didn’t make friends very easily. I have a lot of cousins; so there was always someone to play with. My cousins were my friends.

As I have gotten older, making friends is still not easy for me. I am still cautious when choosing to allow individuals into my circle.

I’ve been told that I am very easy to talk to; but very hard to get to know.

I’ve been burned. I’ve been hurt.

I do believe however, that God brings people into your life; into your circle for a reason.

Many of those individuals are in your life for only a season. After the season has passed; they move on. Your paths may never cross again.

He places other individuals in your circle for a life time.

Sometimes he makes the most unlikely matches.

You see, He doesn’t care about the differences in your background, your education, your income or the color of your skin.

He sees your heart.

It is as though God stamps that individual’s handprint right in the middle of your heart.

You may live in different cities. You may talk every day. You may talk once a month or you may talk every couple of years. But when you do talk; you pick up where you left off.

I have been fortunate to have a handful of “heart” friends. Friends whom I believe God placed in my circle. Friends who love and accept me for who I am; the good and the not so good; friends who tell me the truth; friends who help me to be a better person.

I have been remembering one such “heart” friend.

Her name was Louise; but I called her Miss Daisy. She owned a car. She could drive her car. However, she often waited for her husband to get home from work to drive her to the grocery store or take her shopping. I started calling her Miss Daisy. She didn’t seem to mind.

Miss Daisy and I met through work. We stayed in touch when she retired and her husband was transferred to the big city. We didn’t see each other face-to-face very often; but we shared our lives, our hearts, and our God during many, many phone conversations.

Miss Daisy had some health issues. She did not like to talk about them. She was a private person and even though we were close friends; I didn’t ask a lot of questions. I respected her privacy.

I talked to Miss Daisy the last week in March. She had been in and out of the hospital. Her sisters were coming to visit. She sounded so happy.

Miss Daisy went home to Jesus on April 17, 2010.

I miss our talks. I miss her laugh.

God used Miss Daisy to teach me so much. I am forever grateful for her handprint on my heart.

Today I am thanking God for all of the “heart” friends that He has so graciously given to me.

Blessings!