I'm a pretty lucky gal. I live a life where pretty much most of the time I feel love and support from just about everyone I come into contact with these days. I was born into a supportive and loving family, my grade school friends rule and gave me the foundation to expect nothing less than support and acceptance no matter what, and my college and now life-experience friends are are all women I support and respect, and those feelings are reciprocal in the most powerful and inspiring ways.
Several years ago I made a decision to move away from MN and everyone I'd ever known. The risk in that move being the friendships and family relationships I'd so intensely invested in. But after living in Seattle for over four years, I've learned that anything in life that is good and true lasts a lifetime. And the support I feel from my friends and family even being so far away moves me in ways I'll never be able to explain.
I received some mysterious texts and phone messages last week . Haley and Kristi - CSB pals - had tucked a surprise in the mail and were trying to reach me in an anxious moment of surprise. WHO DOESN'T LOVE SURPRISES?!
Anyone who reads this probably knows I was committed to running a marathon, and the race was this past Sunday. When I finally reached Haley and Kristi via cellphone conference call, I learned they had booked flights from MN to Seattle to cheer and support me during that race.
I have a hard time emotionally even putting this post into words as I write. Their gesture meant more to me than they will probably ever understand. Their friendships are so symbolic for what it means to truly be a friend. And in this case, a surprise letter of support from Kristi and Haley is like a beacon and reminder of the power in what support can do for a person. I finished the marathon in 3:58:55. Just ONE MINUTE under my goal time!
Thank you!
3 comments:
I am so proud of you! And beating your time, nice work. You've got great friends too!
congrats, frannie! That's awesome!!!
I was going to come out for the marathon, and I would congratulate you for doing so well, but Ann Vorlicky is so consumed with jealousy that she has threatened to roost on my carotid artery if I so much as hint that I'm proud of you for doing what she would be insane to try to do at her advanced age. Sorry!!!! ...Oh what the hell: Congratulations! I'm proud of you! It feels good to have said it, even though I can feel the storm clouds gathering already. Wait a minute, perhaps there's a way around this. You know what? I'm going to take back my congratulations, knowing that you know I wouldn't have extended them in the first place if I hadn't meant them, and, furthermore, knowing that Ann will totally buy the retraction because her drinking problem has so addled her that she'll never be able to sort through this paragraph
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