A Friend I Don't Deserve

Yesterday I stopped and saw a friend whom I haven't seen in a few years. She is one of those people who you know you don't deserve in your life. During the course of our time together she said in essence, "You know, I love your writing but I don't understand a lot of it. I like it when you tell stories. For instance, I loved your Wisteria piece, you need to do more of that.

At the behest of my friend Michael Daily I launched my first blog on Thursday - though I haven't told folks about it yet - so is that really a launch? Anyway, my intent is to use that first blog, Mind on Fire, to focus on Biblical thinking, Biblical theology, literature, culture critique...well, you get the idea. But what about my friends like Debby who suffer through much of what I write? I don't think mixing things up in a blog is a smart thing, too confusing, though there could be occasional overlap. Anyway, as I pondered Debby's comments and encouragement I decided - just do another blog. So here we go!

I'm calling this Kaleidoscope because with each twist of the wrist there is a new pattern of colored glass and  a new display of light for the imagination to play with and the senses to experience.

I mentioned that I hadn't seen Debby in a few years. I first met Debby around 20 years ago, we worked in the same industry - property management. Then Vickie and I moved away and were gone for six or seven years, and upon our return to Richmond Debby and I reconnected - in fact, we were working for the same company - more than that, I was Debby's boss. She was excited about me coming to work for the company she was with and I was looking forward to working with her. About two years later Debby left the company. 

While it would be inappropriate in a public forum to describe the dynamics that led to her leaving (and who ever really knows the whole story in a thing like this?) the important thing for this "post" is that I had a lot to do with it. Actually, the most important thing for this post is that I could have done better regarding Debby.

And so yesterday, after we had a sweet time of catching up and the time drew near for me to go I said, "Before I go, I've come here for a selfish reason. I want to ask you to forgive me for the way our business relationship ended," or words to that effect. 

She replied, "You've already been forgiven. I've already forgiven you. I know that the way you were during that time was not the Bob Withers that I know and love...and I've told people that."

I said, "I need to hear the words."

And Debby my friend replied, "I forgive you."

Do you see what I mean when I talk about having friends who you know you don't deserve?

Bob