Then, I got a message. "What's your phone number, I need to talk to you" You know the things that run through your mind.. is she sick, are her parents sick, is someone dying, is the sky falling in...
Anyway, here's how our conversation went:
"I'm in a relationship"
"Yaaaay! Are you happy?""Yes"
"Yaaaaay!"
"It's a same-sex relationship" (Ok, I wasn't expecting that)
"Are you happy?"
"Yes, really happy."
"Yaaaay! Are you getting married?"
"No, we've talked about that and we're not"
"Cos I'm a really great Wedding Planner"
"I know you are, you dork."
And our conversation just flowed as normal. We spoke about how it's taken her seven years to have the courage to let me know. We spoke about how the people closest to her have been the most difficult to tell and how she had received some angry reactions. I reassured her that I didn't care about who she loves, as long as she was happy. Actually, I told her that as long as her parents were fine, what I thought really didn't matter. She said it mattered to her.
When the words came out of her mouth - I hope it was empowering for her. I was surprised but I don't think I paused or inhaled all the air in from my office.
I love her even more and it makes me sad that it's taken her this long to feel comfortable enough to tell me. I would also be lying if I said it didn't make me sad because there are few churchie things we won't be able to do together.
Now, some may say this changes everything because of my faith. Well, quite simply put - it doesn't. Not even the size of a mustard seed.
There are two things we are all about. Agency and being Christians or followers of Jesus Christ.
We believe that we came to this earth to gain a body and go through trials and tests to return to live with our Heavenly Father again. The thing is we believe we made a choice and raised our hands to come here. We wanted it so bad, we were itching to get here. It was our choice. Agency is choice - you weigh everything up and make a choice. You can't make people choose what you want them to choose, because then we would be exactly like our brother who fell away. My friend is an adult who has made a choice. She's weighed everything up and decided that this is what makes her happy.
We are also Christians or followers of Jesus Christ who taught us to treat people as we would like to be treated. In his words, "Love one another, as I have loved you". It's as simple as that. What are you teaching your children I can hear? Exactly that.
She is still the same person to me. The girl with the beautiful voice that's blossomed into a lovely lady. The girl who had the guts to tell me how much of a jerk I was when I was a teenager hahaha. I still want to know how she's doing, how the family is and how life is treating her.
The girl who is my friend, my sister, and who just happens to be on Team Skittles now. No big deal.
In the end she has chosen love.
And so have I.
