Vitamin J

Why on earth did such a simple gift affect me so profoundly? It was just a pack of socks, after all. Brown, stripey socks, to be exact. And beige socks with brown toes. And brown socks with polka-dots all over. All told, there were five silky-thin pairs in the bunch - ankle socks, waiting to be washed, folded, and worn with nearly every outfit in my closet.

My friend looked at my joyfully. "I knew you'd love them!" she said. "I remembered talking about socks with you the last time we were in the store - so when I had to pick up some socks for myself, I just couldn't help it! You had to have some, too!"

I couldn't wipe the silly grin off of my face. "Well, you were right!" I hugged her, and hugged her again, and stared at my socks in delight. "They're just ... perfect!" How my classy, sassy, big-hearted friend had known just what would tickle my soul I wasn't sure. But she had hit the nail smack dab on the head with this gift. I fingered those socks, thinking of how I would never have purchased such a luxury for myself until the very last minute. I buy socks one pair at a time, and in practical colors like white and ... well ... white. But these - these were not only functional in their ability to match most of my meager outfits - they had a touch of attitude, too! I felt spoiled beyond all reason, and as I lovingly folded those socks, I realized that this treasured feeling was the hallmark of my relationship with J.

We met so long ago that we've now known each other just as long as we haven't ... and we're still growing closer with time. We've had three chilren each since those early days ... and as I sit across from my friend now, I see the lines of laughter and motherhood on her beautiful face. She has grown more dear to me with time, and has taught me lessons that sink deeper than she can possibly imagine. Lessons like:

Pamper yourself on occasion - and pamper your kids more, as well.
Respect your husband for just who he is. Love him extravagently, as you want to be loved.

Rejoice - laugh - be silly - and enjoy staring at spiders with young boys. You only live once after all!

Take pleasure in experiencing the small things.

She insists on lauding me as the one from whom she can learn, but here I think she's mistaken. I am a hard person - hard on myself, hard on my chidren, and given to assuming that all of life must be hard. She, on the other hand, deals in softness. She works with her children witha gentle hand. She wears her heart on her sleeve. And each time I'm with her, I pray a bit of that softness rubs off. I am enriched by her very presence ... and I don't tell her that often enough.

The truth is really quite simple: Each time my friend waltzes through my front door, she brings with her a few rays of sunshine, a practical, soul-warming something that, much like those socks, cheers me to a ridiculous degree. She's just moved to my town, and were it not for the fact that I myself am preparing to move, we'd have many moments ahead in which to share the joy of each other's presence. I'm sad to journey away from her again, but I know that, not long from now, she'll be waltzing through my door again. And when she does, I know, too, that she'll be bearing the gift of her love in both arms - and I, with undeserving gratitude, will accept it.

There's nothing like an old friend. I hope I keep her forerver.