Friends are friends forever

Long, long ago in a land far away... heh, in more ways than one! I was in 2nd grade (7 yrs old), and a new Christian school, Penn View Bible Institute in Penns Creek, PA, had just opened the year before. My "classroom" was in one of the little white cottages in the back row on campus. Linda enrolled in the college that year, I believe, and one day our paths crossed, and we became friends. (Actually, our parents were friends, so Linda knew who I was already, but she was "new" to me.) She treated me so kindly and made me feel so special that I hugged her friendship tightly to my little heart even after she left school and I didn't know what had become of her!

Since I recently came across this photo again (our class in December 1967--find me? I'm the farthest right), I just hafta include it here. Indulge me! :) I didn't crop it because I don't want you to miss seeing the classroom ambiance. * grin * (Can you just imagine the uproar people would make now? Open rafters, no walls enclosing insulation, open wiring... and at least 19 kids squished in there!)

I recall Linda and her husband visiting us for a couple hours when I was about 14. By that time I had realized that she was a family friend, not just my very own, but I was still happy to see her.

I didn't see her again for 16 years... In April 1990 my brother Tim and I were part of the 300-350,000 people who attended the historic Rally for Life in Washington DC. If I recall correctly, Tim had left our staked-out spot on the grass to find hopefully cold drinks, and on his way back, Linda happened to spot him and ran to catch up with him! Was he ever surprised! We were having a difficult time keeping track of people from our own group, yet, she had come from FL and he had come from PA and she found him in that throng!! (Perhaps the key was that they hadn't actually been looking for each other! lol) Tim told her I was there too, so she came to see me!! I was thrilled and amazed beyond words.

My parents had a gargantuan Christmas card list (and a philosophy behind it that can send me on a serious guilt trip when I think about it since I haven't mailed out more than maybe a half dozen Christmas cards in the last 11 years. At one time their list topped 400. I remember them sitting at the dining room table with the whole production spread out before them and discussing who they should remove from the list since postage had increased. Mom would suggest a name to be removed, and Dad would say, "But they really stuck by us back when such and such happened. Surely remembering our friendship is worth 13 cents a year." [Yes, postage was that low.] So the name would remain intact. Then Dad would suggest a name and Mom would respond with why that person or family was special. I know that at some point in their last years the list was pared down, but for many years they sent out 300+ cards.). Anyway, my parents and Linda stayed in touch through that.

After my parents had passed away, Linda faithfully sent her regards to our family, mostly through Tim. Sometime in 2002 or 2003 after Tim gave me Linda's Christmas card which included hope for a family update, I called her.

Since then, Linda & Jerry have visited Ken & me several times on their way from FL to to relatives in OH, and eventually moved to TN (near Chattanooga)! After they moved to only 2 hours away from us, however, they have been so busy clearing land and building their cabin that we haven't seen them much. We were so happy when they called last week and were able to stop for a quick visit and a jaunt to CiCi's Pizza! All too soon they were on their way again to OH and PA.

Oh, me. I guess I could have posted only the last two sentences of the previous paragraph instead of rambling so, but two sentences weren't enough to tell you about one of my very first friends!