Charis

I went to pick up my niece Kyle from TPA a few months ago and when I did she had two strangers in tow, a very good-looking couple who happened to be her seatmates on the flight from Hartford. They were all very very happy... and by that I mean tipsy. Clearly, the flight had been a blast for all three of them! They talked, they laughed, they told stories, they had a drink or two (or four!)and became Best Friends.

"Aunt JUDY," they greeted me loudly and with hugs - Kyle had apparently told them 'stories' about me...? (I hate it when that happens.)

They had exchanged numbers and addresses and promised faithfully that, should time and space permit, they would absolutely get together and a have a lot more Big Fun in their Tampa hot tub!!

I hooted because, in all my years of flying, I have never once been seated beside someone who wanted to make me their new best friend!?

Until Charis.

She had the window seat on the ride back to Sarasota from Detroit after Tom's funeral; I had the center seat. There was a very large man on the aisle but he had a pair of earplugs and his computer playing a New Comedians show and since we weren't, he was clearly prepared to tune us out.

She was a darling girl, younger than my own daughters but still a grownup. She was flying to Sarasota looking for a job so she could move from Wisconsin and fill her life with sunshine.

How exciting! Her plans were entirely diverting - allowing me, for two and a half hours, to completely avoid thinking about the fact I'd just cremated my husband.

Well... not completely... but almost.

She was familiar with the territory, had a grandmother who lived on Siesta Key and had been down a number of times. In Wisconsin she had a job she didn't love and weather she was ready to bag, big-time.

How could I not encourage her?? I'm an AQUARIAN; we have answers upon answers for all and any questions ever posed.

We exchanged numbers and I asked her to keep me posted about her progress on the job search.

We played phone tag a couple times that week but were never able to work out a face-to-face; BUT, by gosh, she called this week and said, "I'm here!"

She did it! She tied up loose ends in Appleton, bought herself a brandy-new car and was by-gosh here and ready to start her new life.

We got together for lunch yesterday and she told me the whole story. I'll suffice it to say there were roadblocks but she was determined and she made it happen. In this most horrible of economies she's already got a part-time evening job which includes housing and she's interviewing during the days to find a permanent position doing something she expects to love.

Ah, youth! She's cute as a button, free as a breeze, lives in paradise, and has at least one new friend!! Life is good.

Yes, it is. It most definitely is.

And it was good for me to be reminded of that.