Blessed

"In friendship...we think we have chosen our peers. In reality a few years' difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another...the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting--any of these chances might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking no chances. A secret master of ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples, "Ye have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another," can truly say to every group of Christian friends, "Ye have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another." The friendship is not a reward for our discriminating and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each of us the beauties of others." --C.S. Lewis

So, there's a chance that I almost cried when I first read that quote. Why? Because the first half is exactly my amazing group of friends: me (Linley), Myles, Rachel, Missy, and Joy.

Birth dates: I was born in 1991. Joy was born in 1992. Rachel, Missy, and Myles were in 1993. That's not a huge range, but with me being twenty and Rachel, Missy, and Myles not even nineteen yet, you would think that we wouldn't all be as close as we are. The fact of the matter is that age is starting to become less of a factor in friendships because we're all going through the same stage of life--our freshman year of college--together. We're sharing experiences and struggles and that's what bonds us together, not age.

Distance between our homes: Rachel and I are from DFW. Missy is from Houston. Myles and Joy are from Austin. Geography is not on our side--pesky Texas and it's bigness--but we make it work. Over the Christmas break, I haven't gone one day without talking to at least one of my friends. But where our homes work against us, technology does not. The five of us have been on a group text together since early November and it is my link to them. That group message has kept me from going nuts.

Choice of school: I got into A&M by the skin of my teeth. I was one of the last people to get into my dorm (4th floor, room 53 out of 60). Had I not gotten into A&M or my dorm, I would have a completely different circle of friends. I wouldn't be as mature. I wouldn't be growing in my faith as much. My friends have been my rocks, my comfort, and my happiness.

Small world stories: I was in a Pine Cove cabin with Joy freshman year of high school. She was in another cabin with Missy a few years later. Myles went to high school with Joy. Joy and Rachel did the same program over the summer and ended up in the same sorority. I met Rachel at fish camp. All of us were connected to each other before school started by small degrees of separation.

This is going to sound cliche and immature, but these friends are like my sisters. They have held me together and helped me grow. I love them so much and my life will never, ever be the same because of them. Their friendship is the craftsmanship of an artful God, who makes beautiful and treasured works.

And for that reason, among countless others, I am blessed.