Unexpected Blessings

Have you ever met someone and all these random connections pop up? It’s pretty cool at the time, and then you get to know them over whatever period of time you have together. Then life happens and you move or they move or whatever, you somehow drift apart, but they’re always around. You know that.

Well, it’s hard to believe but about 10-11 years ago, I met a couple of those gems. I moved to Chadron and on my first day there, I met a professor who spent time playing hockey in my home town as a Musketeer – it was almost like meeting a celebrity…for Sioux City anyway. I was vegetarian, he was vegan and his wife a vegan chef. Both of our birthdays were in February, mine the 13th, his the 14th. Just a lot of random things for us to talk about. His name is Jay.

His wife, Chloe, the vegan chef and massage therapist – which if her massages are half as good as her food then you’re in for a treat – was awesome. She was a great mentor for 19/20 year old me in many ways that I definitely didn’t see then. She shared some personal stories with me that still affect me today but in much different ways. She’s a person who touched my life in a way I needed before I needed it, I’m glad to have learned some of her perspective.

After not seeing these gems for about 10 years, we got to reconnect this weekend while visiting the Grand Canyon! I got to introduce them to my husband for the first time. Mike was pretty excited about that too. I’d told him enough about them that he was excited to meet them, and even happier after it happened. We got to talk pets with my mom – Chloe has a poodle, my mom has a golden doodle, and I have the meows! It was easy to jump into conversation, we had to do a little catching up but overall, it was just talking with some friends over lunch.

I don’t have a lot more to say except that these friends will always be an inspiration. Their commitment to each other, to God, to health…to life, is simply amazing and wonderful to see. I’m just very grateful to know them.