English Visitors

This week the Julyans have had special visitors in our lives. Sandy and Kaela are here from England. Some of you may have heard me mention Sandy or remember when she visited once before. She's Dad's good friend from Second Life. The computer game. It's odd at first. They met each other because Sandy plopped on Dad's head when she was teleporting from one place to another. Over a year later, and they are very close friends. She's helped Dad through an unpredictible year. One of a prostrate cancer diagnosis, a daughter's first year of being married, and of a wife getting a breast cancer diagnosis. I knew they were close and talked literally daily, but it wasn't until talking with Sandy last night until I fully realized that Dad really does open up with her and tell her all about everything. For instance I referred to him freaking out if I asked for help with Math after 10PM in High School and she said, oh, he told me about that. WHAT? Wonder what that conversation would have been like?!? (-: Anyway, I am not aware of him having someone he's done that with in the past, but I think he, like all of the rest of us, really appreciates having someone "safe" to share himself with.

Sandy likes to say everything happens for a reason. Well, whatever the reason is, I'm grateful for her friendship to my Dad over the last 12 or so months. Technically, they're distant cousins. Our family is from Cornwall England and so is hers!

Sure is strange, though. Dad is "different" while Sandy and her 14 year old daughter Kaela are here. Not different in a bad way, actually, I'd say different in a wonderful way. It's like she brings out the zest for life he lost who knows how long ago. My 63 year old father- who has gone on TWO trips (both to Baltimore to see me) since retiring five years ago- is hopping in the car to go to Florida tomorrow. On a whim! And earlier this week he went to the Coca Cola Museum, and there are plans for Six Flags when they get back from Florida. He's doing things that are unselfish to help Sandy and Kaela get around town, and they tell me he even went shopping and didn't even complain once. And the crazy thing is, Dad seems to really be ENJOYING it all! He's having fun and just being himself. It's wonderful.

Don't we all need friends that just love us and enjoy us and accept us the way we are? Doesn't that allow us to just be free in ourselves?

Who's your friend like this? Who do you this for? Have you spent time together recently? REAL time together? JUST DO IT!