January 28th - Visit #1

Spent my evening visiting with my friend and confidant, Billy Faye Curtis. Interesting spending time with someone who is not part of your "family" but has known you since before you were born. BF knows my history - the good and the bad. We have kept in touch all of my 49 years. When I began this 49 year adventure, I knew immediately that BF would be one of my "peeps."
Early on, she was my mom's friend and the mother of one of my good friends. She helped me open my first checking account and baked me a birthday cake in the shape of a check on my 15th
birthday. We took several trips together - my favorite being the jumping trip to Houston. My brother and her son jumped everything that trip and had several near death experiences because of it. Memories are often made in the strangest of ways.
Over the years, she has become my friend, mentor and confidant. I can tell her things I would tell no one else because she knows my history. She understands me because she has lived my life along side of me. We don't talk often but when we do it's as if we were never apart. We share our thoughts, dreams, struggles, victories and concerns. After 49 years, there have been many thoughts, dreams, struggles, victories and concerns in both of our lives.  It is an amazing thing to have people who are willing to live life with you. One thing I learned tonight is that I must be willing to slow down enough to enjoy these people and the wonderful things they bring to my life.
BF helped me remember the perspective that God is in control, even in the struggles and we must be willing to "Be still and know that He is." Things are going to happen in life. Everything is much easier to deal with when you have something to fall back on. She also listened a lot and helped me think through situations and things which have become patterns in my life. She offered some advice but mainly just offered her life and her experiences with faith, family, friends and living.
This is going to be an amazing journey visiting with the influential people of my life. As is in life - it's more about the journey and not the destination.  I had a wonderful time reconnecting with BF.  She is an amazing woman who has inspired and touched many lives in her path. I hope to live my life in such a way that others look to me, as I look to her.