It’s a flight of steps up to her front door. I’m not sure how many it is precisely but there are two sections of stairs. Right now wild purple and white baby flowers are creeping out of the cracks. Last week I went over to visit one of my dearest friends. When I texted her about dropping by her reply went something like this “Totally fine! But I warn you, the house is in shambles.” Right then and there I loved her even more. It’s not the first time she’s let me come over when she thinks her house is a mess. This woman has been grace to me for many, many years now. She’s one of my longtime friends and when I went to her house the other day she let me in, like she always does, with a smile and warmth. She lets me in. Time and time again regardless of her house or how she’s feeling or what’s going on. That, my beautiful readers, is amazing. When she lets me into her home just as it is that speaks volumes of love to me.
In a day and age where social media allows us to have whatever “storefront” we choose, vulnerability and real connectedness are rare. Yet this friend consistently lets me in. We laugh hard, we talk about gritty stuff we are dealing with and processing, we pray for each other, and so many other things. You know what? Every time I think that I could say something that will make her think I’m insane she just keeps right on loving me. She doesn’t judge me but she helps me. She sees right where I’m at and she sits with me in that place and then shines a ray of light into it. More than most people she probably knows just about everything about me and she keeps on loving me. We sit on her front porch and the minutes turn into hours faster than we can imagine. Last week we laughed that it’s not even really a front porch where we sit but I feel like it’s the most wonderful place.
A while ago I was going through an especially hard time and several people in my life at that time were more discouraging than uplifting. Then she listened and helped love me back to life in the way I needed. It’s not easy to love people in the way that they need. It takes work, it takes truly listening, it takes caring, and it takes time. We can’t be close friends with everyone so choose your friends wisely. Today I just want to say thank you to my (few) but amazing friends who are real, vulnerable, and trustworthy. I love you. And I thank God for you. To my front-porch-sister-friend you are incredible and it is a joy to be in your life, thank you for always letting me in.
My hope for all of you is that you find your “front porch” person/people. 🙂 <3
P.S. My friend is so awesome that she totally took this photo for me while her baby napped because I had forgotten to do so…
I love reading sweet posts like this. Miss you girl!! Wish I didn’t live so far away!! Be blessed you’re in my prayers!!
Thank you Abby! Hope you’re having a wonderful week! {HUG}
That’s really beautiful. I don’t have that kind of friend (my husband, but I mean a female friend). You are really blessed.
Victoria, I understand where you are coming from. This past week I was actually discouraged about friendships. I’ve seen so many people writing and talking about “their people” and I was wondering if I was doing something wrong. Then I realized that some friends live far and others I only see a few times a year but they are still special. I’m so sorry you don’t have a close female friend. That must be incredibly hard. My mom is my best girl friend so that is so special but honestly it’s hard to find super close relationships outside of that. It’s hard to find people you “click” with. Tonight I’m praying that God would bring you a sweet friend to do life alongside you. Especially since I know there are other woman out there longing for a friend in the same way you are! Sending you a really big hug beautiful lady!
This is rich and solid. Without close friendships like this (we NEED people who will “let me inside”, and not hesitate when we “let them in”) and who will truly love and be honest with us. True friends are a rarity, especially in a time of texts, selfies, quick Fb posts, and shalllow “how are you (but please, that is a rhetorical question, don’t burden me with any truth”) “greetings”. Taking real time to BE together is almost a lost art anymore. Thanks for bringing a reminder of what REALLY matters as we sojourn here together. I rather suspect that we men ave even less of this sort of thnig in our lives, but quite possibly need it even more than you Ladies do. Or just as much. When one considers the relationship our God has had since before He created the heavens and the earth, that there was no limit or end of their “time together”, and no division to cloud their fellowship, then ponder that WE are made in HIS image, times like you describe here begin to take on a new significance. Again, rich and solid stuff here.
I agree! And real friendships like this are a pure gift from God. Thankfully even if we don’t have these types of friends Jesus is enough but it is grace when we find them!