Dear Treasuring Grace Ministries
My childhood
best friend, Gail and I were always very different. I was serious; she was very outgoing and fun. When we got to
high school I continued to be shy and my life centered around just a few close
friends, she seemed to bloom outward and expand her circle, going to a lot of
parties, becoming more popular, having more fun than I did to be sure.
We drifted apart, but still, we shared the seed of
friendship that would never diminish.
Shortly after graduating from high school I planned my
future. I was headed off to college, focused on a career, on a big life, a
bright future. My friend, Gail,
and I met for a shopping trip to discuss her plans. I had heard she applied to the University, but she seemed a
little unsure where her life was going.
I got in her car and I could see there was something on her
mind.
She started driving and she said to me, “Promise me you
won’t hate me.”
“Okay,” that seemed a very odd way to start a conversation,
I thought.
“ I am pregnant.”
Oops. I thought, this isn’t
good.
“What are you going to do?” I asked. Immediately I began to
think of all the things she was going to be losing. Her chance at an education,
a real life, she really screwed up, I thought. This is a real mess. I judged her. Internally, I did. On the
outside, though, I was trying my best to be supportive and to allow her to tell
me what her plan was.
“I don’t know.” She said. She began to cry.
“I have to tell Tom,” (her boyfriend,) “but I want to keep
the baby, of course.”
“Wow.” Of course she would. We were Catholic girls. We used
to go to church together. This was going to be hard. But she was going to do
it.
We looked at each other. Suddenly all those years where we
drifted apart were gone. We were young schoolgirls again, almost reborn in our
friendship. A new beginning.
She could have taken another route. A route many girls her
age would have. But she took the harder one. I was proud of her.
A year later she married the baby’s father. They are married
still to this day, some 25 years later.
They had 2 more sons. One died at birth.
Tom jr., that first child, “out of wedlock,” the one that
might not have been, is a blessing to the world. He began volunteering with disabled
children as a young teen, and is now doing youth ministry in Jordon. He is an interesting, loving and
special man, who, by the way, attended his parents wedding as a one year old,
and was included in the vows.
I was proud to be the Maid of Honor.
Every child-to-be is a special soul whose potential is
untold and whose impact on the world could be great.
~ A Friend
Image: Flickr: License
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