Isn't it Funny... (Funny Interesting, Not Funny Ha Ha)

I love meeting new people. It's such fun to learn about them - their likes and dislikes, their beliefs and disbeliefs, their trials and tribulations. It's especially good when I can understand, sympathize or empathize, or help in some small way. Lots of you, my beloved readers, got an email from me yesterday regarding FreeCycle, a group I have been part of for many years now and highly recommend. I have, in the last 24 hours, met two new and wonderful women through FreeCycle. (Though, meeting friends is definitely not what FreeCycle is all about, you certainly do get to talk to a variety of folks about a variety of things - especially if you pay attention!) WW1 (this means Wonderful Woman #1) lives in the next town over and we've been emailing back and forth about everything except our original FreeCycle conversation. She's 4 years older than I and seems to have a lot of the same interests and thoughts as I do. We could be friends, but I don't want to scare her off by being overly solicitous ("I'm desperate for a friend" which, thankfully, I'm not) or pushy ("Tell me more, tell me more!") too soon. LOL! Maybe she'll forgive me for posting about her after only "knowing" her for less than a day? WW2 (this means Wonderful Woman #2) lives a few streets away from me. I called her last night to discuss the FreeCycle stuff and we wound up chatting for nearly 30 minutes! She's nearly 20 years older than I, but who cares? A kindred spirit is a kindred spirit, regardless of age, right? She is best friends with a woman who I, and my husband, know well, and like very much. It's a small world, isn't it? WW2 is planning to move to another state as soon as she sells her house. She said she is trying to convince her mother to move with her, but is hitting a brick wall. I said, "Well, leave her with me. I'd be happy to check in on her occasionally and keep you posted." And I meant every word. It's funny how God puts people into your life, isn't it? I mean, I would never have met my wonderful husband if it hadn't been for God - pushing me in the right direction. This is both the literal and figurative truth. I met one of my best friends in the whole world while I was sneaking a cigarette break (nearly 17 years ago now, if you can believe that) in the bathroom of the restaurant that I worked in. She walked in, saw me hiding out in the stall looking sheepish and said, "Um...you're not supposed to be doing that in here, are you?" Then she grinned her wicked smile and we've been friends ever since. Now, although we don't talk every day like we used to, and our lives have gone in two very different directions, she (CRJ, btw - see Cast of Characters at right) is still among my favorite people on the planet. Anyway - that's what I believe. I certainly don't expect anyone else to believe the same way, but I know these people were put into my life for a reason. TTFN JMS