Because Nice Matters Hopped into the Tank

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Welcome to the first Monday of Friends You Love's Blog Hop.  This hop is a little different than the conventional hops, in that we want you to have one of your followers guest post on your blog.  The idea is to ask someone you don't know that well, or perhaps someone who doesn't comment often.  I of course, can't follow directions, even if I helped create them.  RULES, SCHMULES!

I asked Noelle from Because Nice Matters to guest post for me for several reasons.  One, she is bright and funny and tells the best stories.  Two, most of the usual suspects around my blog have never happened across Noelle's blog, and I wanted to share her with all of you.  I came across Noelle's blog the night I set my blog up.  I have been following ever since.  She is from the same little small town in Utah where I grew up.   She has a heart of pure gold and you will love her as much as I do!

I present Noelle's words just as she wrote them, including her commentary to me!  (You might wanna grab a tissue...)

I’ve never been asked to play in the big kid’s pool before…and to be honest *gulp* I’m a little nervous. I’ll bet every last one of you even has your own button.  I read on the Friends You Love blog that you are supposed to ‘dig into your followers and find someone who doesn’t comment regularly’ and ask them to be a guest blogger.  (Do you think I’m the follower who doesn’t comment?  Point taken Think Tank Momma…point taken.)

My little blog and I are honored to be here…really, we are honored…even if my fingers are shaking as I type this post.

September is National Women’s Friendship Month.  I had no idea…not until Brandee asked me to guest post for her.  I love that we have a Friendship Month!  (I love even more that my birthday and Friendship Month are the SAME month!  Oh right, I’m not here to talk about my birthday.)

I’ve thought a lot about my friends…all those I call my best friends…and I have a lot!  I have friends I’ve known forever, and friends I’ve recently met, and friends who live in other countries, and friends who are family, and a best friend who is my husband too (I’ve only been married 6 months…one of my friends is ready for me to get over the ‘cheesy’ stage already.)  I’m a lucky girl when it comes to friendships. 

I’m not going to write about a single one of my friends.  Instead I’m going to tell you about someone who taught me the true meaning of friendship.  It might be breaking the rules a bit, because the story is about two men, but I hope you won’t throw me out quite yet.

I had this white-haired grandpa who I loved and adored.  Lucky for me he loved and adored me right back.  We took care of each other until it got to the point where I mostly took care of him, and that was okay because I loved him that much.  By the time he reached the age of 93 I couldn’t take care of him the way he needed me to, and I had to make the heart-breaking decision to move him into a care center.  Trust me; it really was heart-breaking.  It’s been over 5 years and I’m still not sure that I’ve recovered from that.

I visited my white-haired grandpa every single day until the day he died.  I wasn’t the only one who visited though.  My grandpa had a best friend named George, and George visited as often as he could.  George lived down the street, and when I couldn’t find Grandpa I knew he would be with George.  They collected food for the food bank every single Monday.  George and his wife had Grandpa over for dinner every Sunday.  George and Grandpa took care of their neighbors together.  They went on walks together.  They helped in each other’s gardens. 

There was a time George probably saved my Grandpa’s life even.  It was nearing Christmas and Grandpa was determined to put a big star up on his roof.  He pulled the wire star out of his basement and spent days repairing the lights that were wrapped around the star.  Once the lights shone brightly Grandpa dragged his ladder out of the shed and put it against the roof.  As he was getting ready to climb the ladder George happened by.

“What are you doing Lyn?”

“I’m going to put this star up on the roof George.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?  Do you remember that you’re mostly blind and won’t be able to see what you’re doing?”

Grandpa chuckled and said, “I’ll be all right George.”

“Lyn, if you come down off the ladder I’ll have my son come and put your star up.”

Grandpa agreed and a few days later his star shone brightly from his roof.

I was always thanking George for getting Grandpa out of trouble.

The day before Grandpa died George visited him in the care center.  Grandpa was in a coma and had been for a few days.  I was keeping vigil by his bedside when George walked in the room. 

He sat down and talked to Grandpa as if Grandpa were wide awake.  He told him about the happenings in the neighborhood and about the food bank, and about his family…and as he talked he held Grandpa’s hand.

“Boy your hands and arms are dry Lyn,” George said.  And then, as he continued to talk, he rubbed lotion into my Grandpa’s dry skin.  At that point I left the room…George needed some time with his best friend, and I needed time to dry my tears. 

A few minutes later when George was getting ready to leave he said to my Grandpa, “You’ve been a good friend Lyn.  I’m going to miss you.”  George found me standing outside the door and gave me a hug.  He didn’t say another word as he walked down the hall.

I’ve made it my goal, ever since that day, to be the kind of friend George was.

Maybe during the month of September we can ALL make that our goal.  

THANK YOU SO MUCH NOELLE!  I am so thrilled you shared such a poignant and special friendship with us.   LEAVE HER SOME LOVE SMACKERS!

Now, Smackers, dig into your followers list and find someone special to guest post for you next week, and this can grow and grow!  Let's make some new friends. 

I'm over at The Truth According to Buffee guest posting today in case you missed me!