Unexpected Friends

I have a new friend.  This is not a new person in my life.  She is someone who I have worked with for many years.

But through all of the crazy that I have experienced in the past months.  All of the changes.  All of the TMI I bring into my office.  She has emerged as an unexpected friend.

I am a very lucky woman.  I have more good/true friends than I can ever name or count on both hands.  I certainly was not looking for another.  And, had you asked, I doubt I would say I was open to a new deep friendship.  Also, considering the person, I would have thought she would never be able to understand or accept certain things in my life.  She and I are VERY different.  She is fairly conservative and I am fairly liberal.  In most aspects of our lives that comparison really is very valid.  I have never disliked her but she was not someone who I would have pegged as an…open mind.  Oh…how wrong can a person be?

She is an open mind.  We have spoken about our family’s crazy.  Compared notes and found out…they are quite comparable.  We have spoken of some very dark and hard things…just to be able to say them out loud to someone.  Knowing these things are never to be said in polite company or even in any other place than our heads.  You know those thoughts…the ones that make you certain there IS a basket for you, going straight to hell, just because the awful or twisted thoughts pop into your brain?  And you don’t know where they came from. And sometimes you do!  I have opened up (a lot) about what is going on w/me personally and in my experiences since moving out.  She has enthusiastically listened, simply enjoyed the conversation, sometimes surprised me with advice or comment about her life/experiences.

I only know I appreciate her for what she has come to mean to me and my mental health.  This does not diminish anything that anyone else has done.  Everyone who cares has helped in some way and the general acceptance I have found is amaze-balls.  I just wanted to express this b/c it was found in such an surprising place.  I didn’t expect it.  And I am so happy to have found it