meet in the middle ...

Friends are a blessing.  Lifelong friends are a treasure.  I have lots of friends I've been blessed to journey with for a long time, but I have ONE that I have been blessed with for practically my whole life.  We grew up just down the street from each other and for many, many years "met in the middle" for afternoons of adventures.  I can't hear Diamond Rio without remembering all the days we met there at the corner ...

I'd start walking your way
You'd start walking mine
We'd meet in the middle
Neath that old Georgia pine
We'd gain a lot of ground
Cause we'd both give a little
Ain't no road to long
When we meet in the middle

We were two years apart in age ... but I don't remember a time when Dutchess wasn't part of my life.  She was the one who was there for all of the growing up ... and has shared every single high and low of the last 41 years.  It was Dutch who strategized with me to get Kevin to eat charcoal (I mean, maybe.  Just if he wanted to play with us!)  and her little brother, Dustin, memorized our phone number before his own because he called us more than he ever called home.  Mrs. Georgia kept Kevin from starving in preschool when he mostly survived on peanut butter and spaghettios ... and every Wednesday night, Dutch and Dustin came home with us and then to church.  We had sleepovers and babydolls.  We played school and doctor.  We relived every Little House on the Prairie.  We cooked.  We painted.  We sang (well, mostly Dutch sang).  We lived our whole lives.  together.

Lots of time and distance has taken Dutch and I from the easy days of meeting at the corner, although we still do lots of meeting in the middle ... at Super Summer or in Searcy or North Little Rock ... whatever is between her life and mine.

I wore a dang HAT in her wedding (I must have really, really, really loved her ... can't say you'll ever find any pics of that!)  We've prayed for babies for her and celebrated two wonderful little ones in her family.  And for most of our lives we've prayed for her Daddy ... first when he was struck by lightning and disabled from the fire department and then when he was struck with cancer and has lived much, much longer than doctors ever expected ... getting to enjoy being a "poppy" to five grandkids that needed to know him.

Tonight Dutchess tells me that he's getting ready to go HOME, to his forever HOME.  And it's just days ... or so the nurses think.  I don't think our hearts are ever ready to say "see ya later" to those we love so much.  And really we grieve for US ... we know that.  Dutch said, "I'm really ok.  I know where he's going and I know I'm gonna see him again.  But I am asking you to pray that our merciful God lets him go quickly."  So, I am crying a few tears for my sweet, oldest friend ... as she sends her Daddy home to be with our Jesus.  I know He's telling Mr. Tommy that it's gonna be ok ... that "they" are gonna be ok.  I know there are some excited folks waiting there at the gates to welcome him home.  And I'm meeting Dutch in the middle again ... this time, in prayer, for a Daddy who has lived and loved well, for a family who has been given a gift, and for the strength and peace to walk through the next few days.

I love ya, Dutch ... you start walking your way ... and I'll start walking mine!