A friend of mine…

She’s bright, vivacious, an ever-charged battery in a small, compact frame.  Her frequent in-your-face, foot-in-mouth moments are charged with an honesty that is refreshing and what some would consider the crassness of youth, I consider enviable. There is no subtle veneer that shows you one face to your face, and another behind your back. You know where you stand with her and to be ‘liked’ is a privilege.

She is that odd mixture of old fashioned wisdom and naivety; she will immediately grasp the fundamentals that govern the serious, but will fail to catch a meaty joke. She challenges, opinionates, likes and dislikes strongly and, most importantly, she is herself. She has the vulnerability that is typical of her youth but will still take risks that are very obvious (to others!); sometimes she comes off without a scratch and sometimes the price is heavy. But she takes all that in her stride. The lesson is learnt.

She has a heart that cares for the less fortunate and she is ready to pitch in and be an agent of transformation – she radiates the joy that she creates! And she leaves behind unforgettable memories; the kind that bring a smile – sometimes rueful - to the face.

Though she can make you spin on your head (even if unwilling), and throw a whirling dervish out of whirl, she is not a problem to be solved like ‘Maria’. She belongs to the tribe that will change the world for the better, provided the world does not change her.  We have this habit, which is understandable, of being protective of our children and conformity keeps them away from harm. Little do we realise that we might be quenching a fire - one that lights and warms but does not destroy. I would like to think that that is impossible in the case of my young friend. 

From another realm, one day, I would love to be able to look down on the woman she is and say, ‘age did not wither her, nor custom fade.’ And the Lord will endorse that with a thunderclap!!

Just herself

The memory of our first meeting is as alive now as when it happened. She was a vision of orange frizzed hair, iridescent green eye-shadow and equally luminous nails. Always shy at first encounters, I was dumbstruck and before I could help myself, I blurted out, ‘I need a haircut, but I have very conservative tastes!’ She smiled, invited me in and sat me down in front of the mirror. After combing and wetting my hair she set to with grips and clips before she commenced cutting. All the while, she chatted to me and I responded distractedly. I was too busy praying about the outcome.

When hubby and I relocated to Thane, there was no hairdressing salon worth the mention. And as I mourned the distance between Thane and Bandra where my earlier hair dresser resided, one of my husband’s numerous relatives suggested that I go see Lolly – reputed to be good at her profession and reasonable in her price. The address was just a building away. So convenient. And so I went. That visit resulted in one of the best hair-dos I have ever sported and also in an enduring friendship. Lolly was always nothing but herself. Glad to be who she was, never judgmental, never angry at the predicaments that life threw at her, she was a free spirit particularly when it came to make up and dress. In a crowd, she was one of a kind. And she was true to her reputation – her skill with comb and scissors was supreme.

Both Lolly and I have long since quitted Thane and are no longer in touch. But if there is one thing that she taught me it is that it is sometimes correct to judge a book by its cover; to know the pleasure of an encounter with the original, zany, spontaneous, sometimes outrageous - a bright and shiny new spot among the fusty titles on a musty library shelf!

Just Visiting

Inviting family and friends to visit your blog is like asking them to drop in for a friendly chat, even though the conversation may be a trifle one-sided! With cup of tea at elbow, I sit at my computer each day and put down what comes to mind. It gives me that happy feeling of being almost face to face with you, imagining your reactions, your smiles and occasional raised eyebrows. Actual visiting is fast becoming a lost art, as is the casual chat over a cup of tea. And the internet is the place to meet. The poem I share with you today, which dates back to 1972 (yes, from my collection), is about ‘just visiting’. The sentiments are still valid, even in a virtual world!

Just Visiting – Annie Laurie Dunaway

May I come in and say ‘Hello’

And stay for just awhile?

For in our hurry scurry world

It’s almost out of style.

But sometimes the heart feels lighter

When you’re sad or sick or blue;

And the day seems so much brighter

Because someone thinks of you.

If you are sick or shut inside

Then this visit is for you

And may you wait with patience

For your strength to gain anew.

And if you are discouraged

And feel misunderstood

Then turn your thoughts to brighter things

And follow up with good.

I hope that through this little chat

As I journey on today,

I’ve left some rays of sunshine

Scattered all along the way.

And the last four lines sum up perfectly what I would like to say!

Angels Among Us

I have a friend and colleague who always signs off with ‘God Bless your day, … your weekend …. your corrections (or whatever the current task). Her blessings are specific to the moment and the occasion and always leave me with a cozy feeling wrapped around my heart.

Then, there is the friend who painstakingly sorts through all the forwards and sends on the most inspirational, informative and entertaining. I look forward to my inbox every day without the dread of having to go delete, delete, delete.

This got me thinking about the sometimes unexpected and wholly enjoyable occurrences in our lives. A while ago, I set out to crochet for a Christmas themed fundraiser and set my heart on making angels. Holding on to a mind’s eye view of a host of crocheted angels on a festooned tree, I searched for patterns that would be quick, easy and yet out of the ordinary. Every pattern I found and liked was priced out of reach (this was in the time before free patterns on the Net!). So, I sent a letter to the editor of a craft magazine, stating my need. A couple of months later, my mailbox (the metal one nailed to wall at the entrance of our building) was stuffed to overflowing with bulging A4 Manila envelopes. As I opened each one, out spilled pattern upon pattern accompanied by letters containing friendly encouragement. Angels who sent angels!!

Over the years, I have used those patterns with joy and in gratitude.

Sometimes, the brush with an angel is so fleeting, so gentle, that you may miss the moment. So, if during your day you enjoy an unexpected encounter, accompanied by a lift in spirit, know that you have been visited by one.