Last night....
was a great night. I got to visit with some friends that I don't get to see as often as I would like... and they are all pursing things that they are truly passionate about.
On friend, who works with developmentally disabled adults, helped with a play the clients from his job put on. The production was a take on Alice in Wonderland and was written so that the characters could have these breakout monologues about their real-life experiences. The crux of the play was what it would be like if you (a normal person) suddenly found yourself in a world where you were the outcast.
I have been blessed to get to know some of the clients and it was so touching to see them talking about their feelings... and the accomplishment after the show was over! The entire auditorium was just vibing with accomplishment.
Back to the friend... he was just beaming with pride over the actors. He spends most of his days "coaching" these people, but I know that they feel like his family. And I know that he feels like what he is doing is making a difference. And it is...
After the show I met up with a friend who is tirelessly trying to make a long distance relationship work. And it is. I got to meet the out-of -state fellow last night and we all had a blast. I'm so happy for this friend because she has found a man that can sit down with a group of her friends, some he has never met, and make it feel like we've all been friends for ages. This type of situation is the perfect experiment to find out if the fit is right. It clearly is.
Even later that night was greeted by some friends that came to stay from St. Cloud. This friend is about to celebrate the first birthday of her daughter. She is such an amazing mother and her little one is surely one of the lovliest babies ever. She (well both mom and daughter actually) have fantastic fun and gentle personalities and are facially stunning. She was putting the little one to bed last night rocking her in her arms and singing her a lullaby... just as you would imagine. I was laying on the couch in the dark, just watching and taking it all in... and she actually soothed me to sleep.
All of these friends are doing totally different things, but are really working their tasks for all they are worth. They are inspirational and the perfect example of the types of people you want to surround yourself with .... uplifting.