I think I met Dawn the weekend (in)courage was announced, at the She Speaks conference in 2009. But I’m not sure. And I don’t remember which conference we first ended up as roommates. I just know that, somewhere along the way, Dawn became one of my most valued blogging friends and certainly one of my favorite conference roommates. And, really, she’s more than that. She is kind and generous and funny and talented and wise and a wonderful, real-life, not-just-blogging friend. If you can’t tell – I just love her!
Dawn is a great friend, so I love that her latest book is about friendship. The Gift of Friendship is a collection of more than 50 stories about friendship – including this one from me.
I walked quickly through the parking lot, pulling my wiggly four-year-old along, sweating and praying I could make it to the car before the tears spilled out.
No such luck.
As I reached my car, I heard my friend holler out her window, “And just where do you think you’re going? Hold on! I’ll pull around.”
And so she did. I opened the door for my kiddo and turned on the car and its blessedly cool air conditioning while my friend parked her car next to mine and waited for me to walk around to her. Before I could finish saying, “Hey . . .” the stupid tears were slipping past my oversized sunglasses and down my red cheeks.
I told her my story, sniffling and rolling my eyes and whisper-shouting so the kids wouldn’t hear. Like a good friend, she agreed with my take on the situation and said the words everyone longs to hear in the midst of an angry cry: “You’re right.”
She didn’t stop there, though. As she maneuvered her two little boys and newborn baby girl out of her van, she said, “You let me know what I can do. If you need me to babysit or host some play dates, I’ll do it. I’ll help you! I want to help.”
Then, after I tied her baby wrap and waited for her boys to move away from my car, we laughed at our awkward parking lot dance. She said, “Oh, I wish this wasn’t happening right now. I know you want to leave.” And I thought, “Oh, I’m so glad this is happening right now. What a blessing I would’ve missed if I’d already left.”
It was just a moment – and just a chance meeting, really. As my friend pulled into the parking lot, flustered with her own story, she had no idea that I was speed walking to my car, overwhelmed with mine. But she knew, when she saw me, that I needed some encouragement. And despite the three kids in her car and her own frustrations and worries, she took a few minutes to listen, to hug, to care.
And it meant a lot to me, that caring, that friendship, that encouragement. Because encouragement is a powerful thing. Whether someone has died, moved, gotten a new job, suffered a disappointment, gotten engaged or just found out that she accidentally enrolled her daughter in the wrong preschool class, a kind word goes such a long way.
For more stories like this one, I highly recommend The Gift of Friendship: Stories That Celebrate the Beauty of Shared Moments.
Whether next door or in the next time zone, our friends provide some of our most important relationships. We cherish time spent with them, bemoan time spent apart, and look forward to the next time we can have coffee or rush to greet them as they walk toward our door. And nothing warms our hearts like stories of true friendship.
Collecting over fifty true stories from some of today best writers, Dawn Camp offers readers a chance to sit back and experience the gift of friendship. With its beautiful photographs and poignant prose, The Gift of Friendship is a great gift for a dear friend and the perfect pick-me-up any time you need a boost. Contributors include Crystal Paine, Liz Curtis Higgs, Tsh Oxenreider, Myquillyn Smith, Jennifer Dukes Lee, Lisa-Jo Baker, Jessica Turner, Lysa TerKeurst, Bonnie Gray, Holley Gerth, Renee Swope, and many more. (Including me!)
Want to win a copy of The Gift of Friendship?
To enter, leave a comment telling me something – anything! – you love about one of your friends. I’ll randomly select a winner next Friday, February 26.
thank you for such a wonderful story..I have been blessed more times by folks who stepped out of their comfort zone to enter mine and bless me with their love and friendship and listening ear…I live life everyday as if it is my last and live with alot of unasked for stress..but serve others the best I can and hep others along the way I raised a total of 125 kids..many times all alone but with birth fostered and adoption often we walk alone…but thanks to the good Lord at times friends would appear and meet me at my need..I will always have those friends even when we seldom see each other due to life and business
Jana
I love how I can just be with my friend – and not have to even say a word…she just knows what I need .
I just stumbled upon your blog and this is the first post that I read. Really beautiful. I love those “chance” meetings when you take the time or someone else takes the time to walk beside you in a hard moment. Thanks for sharing.
I would be lost without my best friend! We are able to vent to eachother about ANYTHING, knowing it is a safe place that will never leave the 2 of us.
I have two very dear BFF’s that have stood by me and encouraged me throughout this long year (plus) of chronic illness. I have many other dear friends that have stood alongside me as well. This has been such an amazing encouragement during some tough days.
Sandy and Michelle encouraged me when I was very scared to go through chemo. They went with me through my treatments and cheered me on. It made the treatment days less stressful and felt more like a Girlfriend’s Day.Their presence gave me courage to face my challenging days.
friends are gifts from God. i have friends i only see every year or every few years but it’s like we still live close by when we do meet up. what joy to friends like that,
thank you for telling us your story! The very best thing about my best friend is that even though se is almost 30 years younger than me, we know each other so well. Without talking, without being together, we are in “sync” to each other’s emotions and feelings. I’ve always heard texts have no tone, but with Amber, they do. There is no question, of why God placed us in each other’s paths
She loves me in all my ups and downs and everything in between. I don’t need to act a certain way or watch what I say. I can be my complete self. And I absolutely love her for it. :)
I love that my best friend accepts me for who I am, no strings attached. Looks like a beautiful book, thank you for sharing.
I love that through it all, we have remained friends. When conflict happens and disagreements take over we always know that we will persevere and remain best friends through it all.