Dash: I Love You More Than My Luggage

So I have decided that I want to write a little bit about some of my friends.

First, is my darling friend Dash... okay, apparently, that isn't her real name. Her name is Rachel. She's actually not even a native Arkansan, she is an Iowan (?). I am choosing to write about her first, because she has been on my heart and on my mind so much lately.

Rachel and I met while working at the Lutheran Camp on Mount Petit Jean during the summer between my Freshman and Sophomore year of college ('05). Although I wasn't raised Lutheran, I went to a Lutheran High School and knew the camp director so I figured it would be a fun job.

When I pulled up to the camp for the first time with a carload of my "basic necessities" for the summer, I was a little anxious. Sure, growing up I went to church camp (TANAKO), but nothing like this outdoors-y kind. (At our camp we still did our makeup and straightened our hair before breakfast and after swimming. T-shirts and shorts? WHAT?! We had each and every outfit meticulously planned.)

Right after arriving I began to unload my trunk-o-crap in the cabin where I was instructed when Rachel walked in. After about a two second "Hi, I'm Shannon"/"Hi, I'm Rachel" conversation she immediately said, "Oh, thank God you're normal."

Naturally, this grabbed my attention, "What do you mean?"

"Well," she said, "everyone here is really nice, but they have been talking about Star Wars and I just don't get it."

That was it for us, we were amigas. Oh, don't get me wrong, we love those other crazy Star-Wars counselors, but Dash and I just clicked.

Dash got her nickname when we went for a hike to the "waterfall," which pretty much never appeared all summer. She had been selected to lead the group and was "dashing" ahead of everyone. So there it was. My nickname was "Squirt" after accidentally squirting a fellow counselor in the eye with an orange as I bit into it.

Isn't it wonderful how God provides you with the exact friend that you need at the moment you need them? Yeah, that was Rachel for me. Since that one blessed summer, she and I have remained wonderful friends. Although we have only seen each other twice since that summer, we talk almost every week these days. Currently, Dash resides in New York City and I can hardly wait for the opportune time to visit her.

I guess the reason she's been on my mind lately is also because it is so great to know that you have a friend who has been there for you through so much, even if you don't get to see each other every day (or even every year in our case).

I think it is exactly what long-distance friendship is supposed to look like: not so distant.