Goodbye
I officially met Eryn only a few months ago. We had been going to the same church for YEARS and she was the person who I'd look across the congregation and think "Dang, that girl is SO cool. I wish she was my friend", yet I never went out of my way to introduce myself. I'm terrible at meeting new people, thinking I will be awkward and won't know what to say and once I do talk to them, what's next? So I never talked to her.
Then in October I was sitting in a sermon, feeling like God was speaking to my heart about how I need to serve others more and share my gift of cooking with them. I walked down the aisle after church was dismissed and ran into Eryn who just jumped right in and started talking to me about my cooking blog. She was encouraging me and telling me how much she loved it and what a talent I have for cooking, and how God gave me the gift of hospitality. That pretty much confirmed exactly what I felt God had been speaking to me during the sermon and I was so uplifted by this one little conversation with this girl. I immediately came home and befriended her on Facebook and sent her private messages about how much I appreciated the encouragement and confirmation, to which she replied that God frequently puts me on her heart to pray for and she had more encouragement for me that God had shared with her. I couldn't believe this girl! She didn't even know me and yet she was speaking to me about the exact things I struggle with and sanctioning me to be better at them. While I usually hesitate to make hangout dates with people I don't know I jumped on the chance for a coffee date with her only a few days later.
It was instant friendship. Conversation between us flows so easily and every time she manages to say something encouraging; some little nugget that God has for me. It's natural to encourage her back and share this wonderful friendship with one another. I've never made a deep friend like her so easily and she has been such a treasure to find.
But as quickly as God brought her into my life, she was just as swiftly taken away. Major life changes led Eryn to move over 12 hours away and on this cold and snowy February day I had to say goodbye. We spent the night before drinking wine and eating spinach dip and talking about God's plans for the future and all I could do was savor these moments of fellowship with her, revelling in our short but rich friendship. I met her for breakfast the next morning so I could squeeze in a few more moments with her. We ate scones and drank coffee and time seemed to close in on us, reminding me that soon she would be gone. I drove her home and the two of us sat in my minivan not wanting to say the inevitable. Eryn wrapped her arms around me in a hug so tight I could feel it in my bones and I couldn't stop the tears from welling up in my eyes. So we just sat there hugging and crying.
Goodbye to my incredible friend. You are beautiful and precious and have been pure gold in my life. I'm excited for what God has for you and can't wait to see you bloom where you've been planted.
And I'm already looking forward to our next coffee date together.
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2 comments:
Kin, i love you so much. You're such a treasure in my life, and i'm sitting here at my desk at work legitmately crying (way to go!)
I can't wait to see you! One month away! and I am probably going to crush you with the biggest hug ever yet again.
i miss you my sweet sister. love love love you.
I just read this again, because i cant stop thinking about how stoked I am to see you!!! <3 love you miss.
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