A Little Piece of A Heart

When I was fresh out of high school, I had an eye-opening experience.  My best friend got married.  I was happy for her, but at the same time, I was shadowed by the knowledge that our relationship would never be the same.  Slumber parties and middle-of-the-night phone calls and spur-of-the-moment trips to the beach became a thing of the past.  I tried to hide my sadness from her, but she knew me too well.  After the wedding rehearsal, she sat in my lap, threw her arms around my neck and said, “Don’t worry, Sarah Belle!  You’re not going to lose me!” 

As it turns out, she was wrong.  Over a decade later, we talk on Facebook about twice a year.  Life has “happened” to us…  We’ve moved, grown, and been consumed by more responsibilities that we ever could have imagined.  The changes, though painful, were inevitable and necessary.

Tonight, I had Girls Night Out with the latest of my girlfriends to get married.  Heather and her honey are coming up on their one year anniversary.  This silly girl was my suitemate at Methodist College.  I was trying to finish my senior year and head out into the cold, cruel world as a 25 year old.  She was a 17 year old, “wet behind the ears” Freshman. 

Only God, in His vast wisdom (and humor) could have put us together!  We were at completely different places in our lives, from different backgrounds, and with astonishingly different personalities.  But as she started college and I got ready to leave it, I offered her the wisdom of my experiences and she made me loosen up and laugh.

Living with Heather was an experience!  I never knew what I was going to come home to.  From strange music, crazy movies, and odd dates, to the mammoth melted-wax art project that had the whole dorm smelling like a Crayola factory, she kept me entertained and sane during a time in my life that I wasn’t sure if staying sane was possible. 

Heather and I have had to fight to keep our relationship intact.  Between us, we’ve moved a dozen times.  She’s married– to a military man, no less.  We both have full time jobs and families.  And tonight, over iced tea at Barrister’s, she began sharing with me about how her relationships with her girlfriends have already started to change since her marriage…  How it’s harder to connect and to stay connected… 

I can identify with that.  I am now the only single person in my immediate circle of friends.  And I’ve definitely had to deal with learning the balance of responsibilities and relationships.  But tonight, as we sat sipping tea and laughing, I knew that it was worth all of the work.  There’s a little place inside my heart with Heather’s name on it and I’m only complete when I know that she’s okay.

My relationship with Heather has taught me at least one thing about Jesus…  As much as I love spending time with my friend, Jesus longs to spend time with me.  Jesus gave His life for me, but all He wants from me is my time.  ‘Cause there’s a piece of His heart with my name on it.  And He’s only complete when He knows that I’m okay.