Today is my friend Becky's birthday and I am so happy to write about her. Becky is one of my oldest friends. Well, not really oldest, she's younger than me... but we go way back. Back to that golden age at Hiram, back to The Group, The Friends. She is one of the ones that has shaped who I have become and I am so grateful to have her as a part of my life.
How to describe Becky? The first words that come to mind are: kind, honest, unapologetic, and brave. There is so much more to Becky than meets the eye. When you first meet Becky-- or perhaps, hear her voice from several miles away (sorry, Becky, you know your voice carries! :) ) you might miss the complexity of her, and only notice her sense of humor and her fierceness of spirit. Not that those things aren't enough! In fact, Becky's fierce tenacity is one of the things I admire most about her. I have always wished I could emulate her forthright speech and brash confidence. Becky is a true friend and will go to the ends of the earth for the people she cares for. She will also fight the forces of hell to right a wrong. Woe to those on Becky's bad side! And what a friend to have for those she loves!
It seems that what I love most about my friends are the things I have discovered underneath the amazing faces they show the world. The secret about Becky is the sensitive and gentle soul she keeps just beneath all the jokes. She cares deeply and passionately for friends, family, animals. She is a brilliant scientist with an analytical mind I cannot fathom. But she never makes anyone feel less. She is always approachable, down to earth, real.
Becky has faced so much adversity in her life. She is beautifully resiliant and has only stood straighter against the obstacles she has faced. Nothing will keep Becky down for long; she is my role model for bravery.
I miss Becky these days. Our lives have pulled us apart and I don't get to spend hours talking with her or reveling in nature with her or telling dirty jokes over a drink. (Someday soon, Becky??) But she should know that she is in my heart every day, a little piece of me. When I am brave, when I stand up for myself, when I fight injustice or just give someone a piece of my mind, I am channeling Becky, and grateful to call her my friend.
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