DRK – Better Because of our Twisted Connection

We never really know, when we are in a moment, how long it will last … or … how cherished it will become.  We never know, when we meet someone, how long they will be in our lives … or … how precious their presence will become.  I could never have anticipated the special and significant space in my heart that Debby Wall and Robin Tajiri would ultimately claim.

There was nothing particularly special about our meeting.  We were just three stay-at-home moms, married to farmers, with three children each …  living in a very small, rural town.  I met Deb first … through our husbands … and she was clearly so lovely.  You could simply feel the pure and gentle nature in her beingness.  She was deeply committed to being a genuinely ‘good’ human being. I loved her for that.  Of course, given my husband’s fondness for teasing, he savored every opportunity to color her cheeks … but … she has grown out of that now (mostly). 🙂

I also admired her in so many ways … not the least of which was how she got her preschool children to stay seated quietly beside her in the car … and even more impressively … at church.  It completely boggled my mind.  I could barely get my precious cherubs seated quietly in the car with the benefit of harness laden car seats (once they became mandatory).   As for church, well –  I ultimately quit going. It occurred to me that there was more LOVE in my world on Sunday mornings if I was sitting in my housecoat, with my heels on the coffee table, sipping coffee and watching cartoons with my adorable little angels …  instead of … yelling at them for dawdling, drawing tears in my harried haste to get their hair into elastics and scrambling to find the missing leotards so we could get to church on time. I instinctively sensed there had to be so much more to any woman who could pull all of that off with such grace – sans tears in the hearts and without fake smiles on the faces.  I just knew it.

I met Robin through a mutual friend.  I was immediately drawn to her ready laughter, her playful energy and her incredibly kind and caring heart!  She seemed like the perfect mix of light-hearted spontaneity and conscientious responsibility.  I don’t know how she did it, but she always came up with the best ideas for ways to inject fun into it the days that were dreary with laundry and spills and endless self-sacrifice.  She always brought the rainbow … even on the darkest, coldest and most difficult days!

She had the most uncanny way of adding so much fun, frolic and and laughter to every moment!  I’ve always envied her rich and spunky spirit and was so delighted when she splashed it into my world.  She has always been such a great example of how life must be savored in the most magnificent ways.  And, of course, she reminded me that there was good clean fun to be had. It is safe to say that I never belly-laughed as much in my pre-Robin life. I often worried that my children would regret not having a ‘fun’ mom like her. There is no doubt about it …  some of my very best memories have been inspired by her extra-ordinary spirit! 🙂

I introduced Robin and Deb.  It was one of those moments that seemed like any other moment,   but … just as a rope is made much stronger by the twisting of each individual string, so have become our lives. The fibers of our being (‘D’, ‘R’ and ‘K’) have been strengthened by the twists, turns and even the tangles in our lives.  All have been lovingly woven together into a beautiful tapestry of fun, faith and friendship.

Our lives have intertwined in so many meaningful ways over the years … weaving another cherished moment, another precious thread into the texture of our treasured togetherness. There is no way we could have anticipated that the breaths we have breathed into each others journeys would be fortifying our capacity to meet the inevitable challenges  we would encounter as we wandered down the winding paths uniquely laid before us.

All in all, the tapestry remains so rich.:

• sharing the very SPECIAL annual birthday card that has circulated between us for years (bottom left on the picture above).  Deb exercised such artistic flair the year she creatively penciled herself onto the card!  There were only two girls on that card originally …
• and all the creative versions of “Roses are Red” … I’ve saved each and every one of them!
• and the beautiful birthday celebrations … including a well executed kidnapping to an extra-ordinary location.
• and all the good-natured competition that came from golfing with a large brimmed visor and placing ‘big’ bets for birdies … I’m sure I still owe someone 25 cents.
• and the cherry pit spitting contest … no need to say who inspired that merriment … :-).  I think she won too.
• and quilting Christmas tree skirts … still using mine …!
• and in the hustle and bustle of life, we decided the best gift we could give to one another each Christmas was TIME.  So, annually, we planned a full day together … and … we savored every minute of it!
• and, last but for sure not least, our four hour lunch dates continue to be one of my favorite things.

And … always, always, always lots of  laughing.  OK. Sometimes the odd tear.  But always lots of laughing.  Oh … and I’d be remiss not to mention that there was a time, way back in the day, that I had to finish their wine for them. This gives you a true sense of my level of commitment to these two!  Alas … I don’t have to have their backs like that anymore! 🙂

Yes … the tapestry is so very, very rich.  And strong.  So very, very strong.  Together … we are much richer and stronger … and … dare I say happier.  My heart smiles when I get to spend time with these two magical, magnificent miracles that I am fortunate to enough to call my friends.

R – D – K Selfie

We may not get to spend as many moments together as we used to … but our friendship lovingly defies the unintended neglect and continues to thrive despite the geographical distance that often comes between us. Nonetheless, Deb and Robin have been indelibly woven into my world.  I feel their presence even when we are apart because I carry them tenderly in my heart.  I had no way of knowing the bounty of blessings that were being bestowed upon me when I met them, but  I sure know it now.  And … I take not one minute of this for granted.  Not one minute.

So … anyway … the bottom line is this:  ‘K’ is so much better because of ‘R’ and ‘D’!  In fact, trying to express my appreciation for each of you can simply not be done with words alone.  I just wanted to use this space to say that I am so incredibly grateful that our lives got twisted together … and … I am so much better because of it!

I love you … both … immeasurably.  XO Karen

 

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