Kindred Spirits

Ah yes, this post is dedicated in part to all of those fellow Anne of Green Gables fans out there...but, imagine my surprise when I found that same term in the Bible!

Yes, in the NASB translation, Paul refers to Timothy as being "of kindred spirit" in Philippians 2:20.  Translated elsewhere as "like-minded", it's actually a compound of two Greek words that mean "equal" and "soul" or "mind". 

Why, you may be asking yourself, did Jenny feel the need to dive into a crash course in Koine Greek?  Well, partly just for fun, but mostly because I've been thinking a lot about friendship lately.  When we take a moment to pay attention, Jason and I are overwhelmed by the breadth and depth of friendships we have made in our five short years in South Carolina.  For two Midwest natives with no intention of ever leaving the KC Metro, pulling up stakes for Summerville was a big risk, but one that has been rewarded tremendously with an abundance of new friends.

The amazing part, though, is that our "old" friends have stuck by us through our great adventure and while we see them much less frequently, I feel like some of our relationships are even closer than when we left -- I suppose that what's lacking in quantity of time we've made up for with quality.

Just this summer I've had two of my closest girlfriends come for visits, along with my very closest of all, my mom, and while the Four Amigos weren't able to put together a trip this year, there is no doubt they'll be playing Huck Finn again in the near future...maybe eventually with their doppelgangers in tow...

I suppose that the impetus for all of my frienship musings has been watching Charlie start to build relationships of his own, and to not only tag along to playdates and school, but to get excited about seeing his buddies and talking about their adventures.  My little boy has friends!

Clearly, it's too early to call any of them "kindred spirits", after all, most two year olds I know are pretty like minded, focused on fast toys, yummy candy and belly laughs, but I believe the ones that will last will be the ones whose similarities go beyond the mind to an "equalness of soul" -- that deeper connection that overcomes time, distance, likes, dislikes, even personality, to form the bonds that last a lifetime.

Who knows, in 30 years, Charlie may count among his kindred spirits

• his wife who adores him, encourages him to be the very best Charlie he can be and makes him laugh at least once a day
• his best friend since third grade with whom he has nothing in common on the surface, but who couldn't be more like him deep inside
• his coworker and classmate from college who shares his faith and sense of humor, even though they never seem to be at the same life stage at the same time
• his friend that he came to know well only right before he left town, but with whom he can share even his most vulnerable moments (with or without wine) and with whom he is sure he will share a zipcode again someday, somehow
• his new friend that he met through church, but became friendly because of their kids, but who he can talk endlessly with...even if one of them was supposed to be home almost an hour ago and the kids are getting cranky
• a couple that he and his wife seem to be perfectly matched with, to the point that they're more like family than friends
• or (my dearest hope!), his mom, who he can call as often as twice a day or as little as once a week, but is always thrilled to hear from him, ready to laugh at his jokes, and looking forward to their next visit.

Obviously, Charlie's kindred spirits, will be different than mine, but I pray that God will bless him with the ability to recognize and appreciate them, as he has done for me.  Few other gifts are more valuable when life's disappointments and disillusionments strike.


A few of our best buddies...