I’ve always had this silent camaraderie for Anne Shirley.  My life and hers couldn’t be different in a million ways and more. But sea of shining waters, and white way of delight were like lines out of my own imagination. She and I? We both see the world through some sort of poetic lens of imagination.  She broke a slate when provoked and chased bullies across the pasture. And I…well, let’s just say that it wasn’t a slate and it wasn’t a pasture, but later those boys said there was fire and smoke and they didn’t think they’d better let me catch them. That was probably not my proudest moment.
But one of my favorite Anne Shirley moments is the moment when she meets Diana. It was bosom friends at first sight. That once in two life time when two people are just meant to be friends bump into each other. I use to hope I could be that lucky someday. And I was!
My Anne Shirley-esque moment of finding a bosom friend happen when I was 14. I’ve never been quite sure who was more Anne and who was more Diana between the two of us, but no matter how many miles keep us apart, there’s something comfortable between us that I am always grateful for. We’ve grown up together, and our wildest childish dream came true: We married brothers. I’m pretty sure a girl doesn’t get luckier than to marry her soul mate and get to have her best friend as her sister in law.
But turns out, in the words of Anne Shire herself:Â “Kindred spirits aren’t as rare as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.”
And this is my little shout out to the beautiful women who have touched my heart and life in a million ways. This is to Katie, my “bosom friend” who knows pretty much all my secrets and puts up with me anyway. To the women who pray with me and for me, who cheer me on and who challenge me to keep pushing myself.  You’ve all changed my life in wonderful ways. And I am the “lucky” one I use to wish I could be.
Yup. It’s true. When you meet a bosom friend, your life is never quite the same again. It’s infinitely better when you have a kindred spirit or two at your side.