The first time I met my friend, Angie, I have to admit I was a little intimidated by her. She came for a job interview where I worked, and instead of being upbeat and perky as you would expect someone looking for a job to be, she was pensive and stand-offish.  However, she had the right experience and credentials for the position and was hired immediately.

Angie seemed disillusioned with the job at first. She became a figure in the office that you felt you needed to tip toe around.  She said exactly what was on her mind without hesitation, and I had to chuckle at her unfiltered forthrightness in certain situations. She was usually right, though.  Angie never minced words. Although I hesitated at first, the more I got to know her, the more I liked her.  I found her to have a very kind and caring heart, and she had a wealth of wisdom she began to share with me.

One day out of the blue she said, “Something is wrong here.” That “something wrong” she noticed early on was definitely a dysfunctional presence in the workplace. It caused quite a few people in the office to seek employment elsewhere, and I was one of them. Shortly thereafter, I began to go through my “annus horribilus” (year of horror) where everything that could possibly go wrong, did. Angie was always there for me.  She called me every few days to check in with me, and we talked for hours. She took me out for a meal when I needed it. She was my shoulder to cry on and the voice of reason I needed to hear. She always had the uncanny ability to say just the right thing at just the right time, which convinced me it was divine intervention.  There are “Angie-isms” spattered throughout my journal during that year. “Sell the house and get out from under it.” “You’re better off without him.”  “You need to start over in a new place.”  I’ve felt comfort in her guidance and advice. It has always proved to be helpful.

Angie’s latest words are, “You have to keep your heart open because you’re too young to be alone.”  When I complained to her that I just don’t have the energy to start over in another relationship, she ignored me and continued, “Keep your eyes opened to the possibilities around you.”  Maybe I will.

Take the time to get to know the people around you – those you work with, your neighbors, and other acquaintances you meet along the way.  Listen to what they have to say. You wouldn’t want to miss out on the angels among us.