The Geek at Walmart.

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,

and have not charity,

I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge;

and though I have faith,

so that I could remove mountains,

and have not charity,

I am nothing."

I Corinthians 13:1-2

I ran into a girl I went to junior high with the other day at Walmart, I mean face to face, almost literally ran into her.  My baby was repeating rather loudly her newest word,

"Fido!"

Fido!"

and I was laughing at and imitating her when I went around an aisle,

and there she was.

I was happy to see her.

She used to go to our church and I hadn't seen her in a while.  So I smiled big and said,

"Oh, Hi!"

the way you would when you run into somebody you know.

And she responded with a coldness that could almost be felt,

"Hi."

It was quite obvious she either didn't know who I was anymore

or she just didn't want to act like she did.

Hmmm.

Not three days later, Levi fell and hurt his neck and we were heading into the emergency room just to make sure it wasn't anything serious, when I ran into another lady I'd known from our church,

who had left for reasons of her own.

I was genuinely happy to see her as well.  It had been a while.

So I again said in a warm, recognizing voice,
"Hey, how are you?"

And again I was very obviously snubbed as she hastened out the door.

What's going on?

Really, am I missing something?

I mean as Christians, what is going on?

I know that we all have differences and we may not all like each other.

  It's obvious that we HAVE to love each other,

as God commands,

but why is so hard for us to like each other?

The same thing has happened to me several times in the last few weeks:

people I'm "friends" with on facebook,

and I see them

when I haven't for many months or even years,

people who I thought I was pretty good friends with

and I look to see their faces from a distance so I can express my happiness at seeing them,

and they ignore my face.

I know they see that I'm there, but they avoid eye contact.

What's up with that,

friend?

After all, as much as one might try to ignore me,

maybe I'm not their type,

or don't do everything the way that they do,

they are, if they honestly believe as I do,

going to spend all of eternity 

WITH ME.

Don't you think you'd want to get along with those who are basically supposed to be like family?

I don't know.

  Yes, there are differences.  I don't know that I believe the same way about everything as anybody else,

even my husband.

So do I isolate and ignore people who disagree with me?

Granted, there are days when I feel out of sorts and not like being the queen socialite,

but I think we as women all know when we are being snubbed,

or doing the snubbing.

I have found in life that I have about 10 perfect friends.

By perfect, I mean, of course, that they love me and I them, despite all circumstances.

I like people and find them interesting,

but I don't make friends easily.

That's okay by me.  I mean, I can carry on a casual conversation with just about anybody,

but there are certain people you just feel like really know and love you no matter what

and you see eye to eye on the most important things.

And their heart beats,

it's sensitivity and passions,

to the same rhythm as your own.

And no matter how long it's been, when you pick up the phone,

or get together,

it's like time stood still and nothing ever changed.

You are comfortable and happy and safe.

This type of friendship is priceless,
a real treasure;
and for it, I am incredibly grateful.

Life is too short to play junior high until we're in our 50's and 60's.

Yes, friend at Walmart,

I know I was a geek in junior high,

and maybe I still am,

 

but really,

in all honesty,

is there any of us who wasn't?

.