To Walk In The Woods With A Gypsy

The following entry was written by a dear friend of mine who I haven't seen since we were kids. I cannot imagine how I could have affected her so much, but am honored. I have done nothing to deserve the amount of love and respect which she carries for me, and am very touched by her feelings. I love her dearly and sincerely hope to meet her children and beloved husband,all of whom I have heard so much about.

Although I haven't seen her in more than ten years, I can see how the voice of her words has changed. There's a richness to her voice now that was not and could not have been there as a teenager, seeking to rebel against everything conventional. Ironic that as she sought to rebel then, now she finds herself living and loving the conventional (but no less beautiful) role of a wife and mother.

Her pen name is Georgia Minyard, and she is an aspiring writer of children's books, a wife, mother of four, cheerleading coach, and she, like my own parents has a huge heart and despite having a full house, she still takes in children in need. She has found herself, and that she's beautiful, most especially in the ways that count the most.

What a lovely thing it is to become older and to see others become older and richer and more beautiful in experience and spirit. Why on earth would anyone worship the self-centeredness and lack of experience that is youth?

To Walk In The Woods With A Gypsy

My very first memory of my best friend Willow was the first time I went to spend the night with her. I followed her up the walkway to her 2 story home, Her strawberry blonde locks lightly wisped to and away from her snow white face, Her eyes looked like mounds of foam rushing in before the ocean, Her small frame was delicate but steadfast. Her room was small but dominant as the walls were covered in playbills from Broadway musicals and other types of theatrical memorabilia. Her closet was filled with vintage clothing, some still smelled of storage.

I was a victim of low self esteem at the age of 14 and Willow was my best friend. She spent long hours teaching me her beliefs and her likes and dislikes and I did long to be more like her. I knew she would make a big difference in the world no matter where the long road of life took her. Born long after her time, she frequently donned a scarf or handkerchief around her head, she was the only real gypsy I think I ever met. Willow is the smartest person I have ever met, and I know I have become the person I am today, and as intelligent as I am today thanks in whole to her.

She was my greatest teacher She taught me to respect nature in all of it's forms. My fondest memories of Willow were our long treks through the southern Oklahoma terrain surrounding her rural home,on the same property as the biggest Christian youth camp in Oklahoma none the less. She would pack snacks and water in bottles and we would hunt for flowers, leaves, crystals and rocks, as well as wandering insects and lizards.

She moved as her name sake "Willow" walking through the trees like a blowing breeze her arms thin yet beautiful, gently brushed against her sides. We would sit Indian style at the top of a lush green hill overlooking the beautiful campsite terrain and harmonize all of the gospel songs that we could think of over and over again until we thought we would lose our voices, come to think of it we sang all the time even as we helped cook dinners for the campers and participated in campfire sing-a-longs and just about any other time we could get our 2 voices together. That time in my life meant so much to me that now as I write, the memories bring me to tears.....and I miss her dearly.

Now there are 3 oceans and 2 continents separating us from each other but the
internet .......of all things......has made our friendship reflourish 17 years later. I now long to sit with Willow on the shores of the island she lives on and sip a glass of wine while harmonizing a few of those old gospel songs like we did when we were 14.

The thing that stands out in my mind the most is that of all of the people in the world and of all the people I have ever met, Willow was the only one that I ever wanted to "Be".