Mid conversation she, more than once, starts her sentences
"You know what I like about you..."
Who does that? Just looks for the best in people and calls it out in them. Lucky me to be on the receiving end. Just yesterday she even extended that gift to my son.
My mom tells the story of visiting an out of state friend as a young mom. Instead of playing the comparison game, her friend Kathy ticked off a list of women in her life with labels like "wonderful", "empathetic," "great mother," etc. In my mom's world of comparison games, this was a new thing and a breath of fresh air. The story has stuck with me.
This last week and a half lots of my favorites mark another calendar year of growing older. What's a birthday if not a chance to tell someone what you like about them?
I have lots of people to celebrate:
my favorite youngest son , I celebrate all that makes him him here.
my one and only favorite mom, who's incredibly gifted at creating family traditions and memories. Lucky for me, she puts family first like it's nobody's business.
my favorite fellow Jacobs High School Graduate, she's witty, blunt, and extremely loyal. She is a friend who shows up at hospitals and funerals when no one else does.
my favorite aforementioned Grand Rapids resident, who admits to finding something she likes in people, regardless. I envy such an awesome trait. She's more free of pretense than anyone I know.
my favorite Texas resident (not to be mistaken for a Texan), who's real, funny, vulnerable, and simply fabulous. I miss our long chats and her delicious cookies.
and my favorite of friends, who has claimed that title for the last fifteen years.
In the entirety of our friendship, I'm grateful for a friend who lets me be me as I let her be her. There have been seasons we have had to navigate making different choices and how we could still cheer each other on despite. We are overwhelmingly similar in some areas and drastically different in others. Somehow she has been able to celebrate my differences like they're amazing gifts.
This is for her, to celebrate her 30th. Granted, she is quite easy to call out the best in so I'll take advantage of such easy subject matter to practice on.
Sarah, you know what I like about you? I like that you:
1. Have triple my energy in that one body of yours
2. Bring baked goods anywhere and everywhere
3. Know me well
4. Put others needs before your own
5. Always look cute
6. Love life
7. Whip up a home cooked meal like it required no effort at all
8. Get me
9. Rejoice when others rejoice and mourn when other mourn, better than anyone I know
10. Are a gift giver
11. Never run out of words :)
12. Call me out on things and don't let me wallow
13. Are beyond organized ("E+")
14. Bring things up if they are bugging you and don't let them simmer
15. Are an absolutely incredible mom
16. Have been my biggest cheerleader the last 15 years
17. Show up
18. Have an uncanny ability of creating and keeping traditions
19. Celebrate the little moments of life
20. React with genuine enthusiasm to the people in your life
21. AND while opening gifts. You could open toilet paper and be thrilled
22. Know what truly matters in life
23. Run a household more smoothly than I've ever witnessed
24. Model doing family life well
25. Chose not to let consumerism and materialism take part in your life
26. Love the Lord
27. Feel life deeply
28. Know how to be a true friend
29. Are always growing and calling women in your life to grow too
30. Love me regardless
HAPPY 30th.
So sweet Kim. What a great tribute to Sarah :)
ReplyDelete