A New Life

A few months ago and a chance meeting brought a new friend into my life. I have been blessed to meet so many interesting people throughout the years. Some come in and out so quickly that you can only remember them as events, not truly as people. Others touch you and leave an imprint of their 'being' on your soul that lasts for a long time after their image is gone from your memory.

There have been two special friends actually. Both have touched me in a pretty profound way. Both are at opposite ends of the "life" spectrum.

When I first met this one friend, she had just found out she was pregnant. She had not even told her husband nor her family but she chose to tell me. You see she had had a number of miscarriages prior to this pregnancy and did not, could not bring herself to share the news with her family until she was far enough along and the baby was out of danger. We played backgammon quite regularly then. She would share her fears and concerns with me, we'd play a game maybe two and then she would leave to go fix dinner or read a story to her little girl. I was that part of her life she couldn't share with those she knew. I was someone she could confide in.

The other friend is a remarkable young woman. She works outside of the home, is raising a family, tends to her husband who is often away on duty, attends school and is currently fighting for her life.

Thus the opposite ends of the life spectrum.