Unlikely Friends....a mini love fest....

So, I've shared my thoughts about some new and old friends recently and today I was thinking about unlikely friends. While I was at the retreat, the speaker talked of 2 children, a Muslim and a Jew, playing together with no understanding of the trouble between their people. The message was "Hate is learned". Well, currently nothing in my life is quite so serious as the idea of those children playing, and I can't really say I hate anyone. So, how did this message apply to me? I thought about it for a while and, after a particularly uplifting email from a friend, I was able to come up with a couple of unlikely friends in my life. I'll share a few here.

The first friend that comes to mind is my best friend, my sister, Jeanne. Who knew that brat who stole my mommy and daddy when I was 4 and threw a glass of orange juice at me when we were kids would turn out to be the same person who keeps me grounded, is always there when I need her, and keeps all my secrets. Even if she wants me to get rid of all my books, I still love her.

The next unlikely friend is the wife of my former husband, affectionately known to all as "Stepmom". While I'm certain it's quite odd to like your ex-husband's wife, I think it might be just a bit odder to count her among your closest friends. There is no nasty talk of the father of my children between us, oh no.  Just the kind of friend who is always willing to lend an ear, cheer you up when you're down, and ready to jump in to help you at a moment's notice. Sure, it took us a while to get here, but I couldn't have made it through this past year without her. She's a true gem.

I also still like my former mother-in-law (liking your mother-in-law is supposedly odd) and I have a couple of friends in the sales department at work (Gasp! Shhhh, don't tell, I've made friends with the enemy :))

Not earth shattering, I know. Probably not even that interesting, and most certainly, all been said before, but it made me think.  I'm sure that we meet people for a reason, whether they float into your life mid-way or stand by our side for all of it, or join you for a while before going on their way, we can't make it without them. I've shared with you my thoughts on the uncertainly of life - remember about eating dessert? How about telling the people you love how much they mean to you. Have you told your friends, likely and unlikey, how grateful you are to have them as a friend?