Friendship Lives 2,664 Miles Away (A Thank You)

She is deeply absorbed in finding track 34 of the St. John Passion (by Bach) to play for me, and my feet are tucked into her couch cushions in their customary position. Our mugs are emptied of chai tea lattes (homemade with the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf vanilla powder she first introduced in travel mugs on the way to the WWII Memorial). I remember that first long 5.4 mile walk to the fountains and back, when I think the lightbulb came on in my head that this - this wrapping ourselves in warm winter coats and talking excitedly about life after college and never feeling like we had enough time at Ebenezer's or enough time at Starbucks or enough time walking through Old Town Alexandria, or enough time just sitting in your apartment eating pesto chicken with applesauce. And now, here I am, with not enough time.

We lose hours in conversation, in the rhythm of words and ideas, in the overflow of too much to say in too little time. We talk about concertos, and we talk about Amy Adams singing "Happy Working Song" (and then we sing it in the car, right there in the parking lot, and laugh and laugh and laugh).

When the day is long in cold New England you are on Skype, in your room in sunny Santa Barbara, and somehow love moves between the millions of transition lines and megabytes to keep us journeying together. Because somehow, when I stepped off that plane in the airport and you came running towards me in your blue and white striped sundress I dropped my bags and grabbed you in a huge bear hug because you are that - the best hug after many weeks of being apart, and the laughter written large in our hearts and the understanding, the trust, the joy you help me scrawl into my life in bright crayola crayon colors.

(Photo Credit: Hannah Cochran)

And I wish that there was a way to say it well, from my perch in Santa Barbara, my first time on the West Coast, looking out at the Pacific Ocean, feeling the breeze lift my red hair and tangle it around my face, watching you as you look out at the rolling blue-green ocean. Isn't that funny, that with the best things, the things most real and precious, our words (however good and beautiful and special) are not what's needed? Instead, we just need to live thankful.

So I'm leaning over to give you a hug, and say thank you. For 2,664 miles of Skype hugs and soft words, for praying and encouraging, for knowing the questions to ask and the jokes to tell. For 2,664 miles of surprise packages and phone calls and building a friendship that spans the country and snuggles me safe into your heart. Thank you, for the 2,664 miles of love. 

Love,
Hilary