The friendships of my youth were turbulent, to say the least, and never extended into my adult life. I did not discover true friendship until my mid-thirties when I was invited to dinner by a stranger. It was pure serendipity that shifted my life in many unusual ways.

I had recently moved back to Houston after my divorce to be closer to my parents. My girls have always had very close relationships with “Mama and Papa” here, and I knew I’d need an extra hand with my youngest daughter with special needs. I had a few old friends in the area, but so much had changed, and it was hard for them to understand life with my differently abled child and what it took to care for her.

One afternoon on a quick errand to the local post and ship store something magical happened. My daughter was about seven years old, and she was with me in the store. Lindsey does not have any physical indicators of a disability, as far as most people would notice, which can make it difficult at times to explain her behaviors to others. I don’t remember her being particularly challenging on this day, but the lady behind the counter said to me, “I have a friend with a daughter like yours.”  We exchanged a few pleasantries and then she asked if I’d like to have her friends contact information. I said yes, of course. I don’t remember all of the details because it was a pretty unusual situation, but next the lady picked up the phone and called her friend right that moment. She said, “I have a lady in the store with a daughter like yours that recently moved back to Kingwood.” The next thing I know she is handing me the phone. I’m standing in the post and ship store on their work phone line with a long curly cord reaching back behind the desk talking to a stranger.

As if this isn’t peculiar enough, the stranger invites me to join her and a group of her friends for dinner. She explains that she recently started an impromptu monthly dinner with a group of moms, all with special needs children. I agreed to go as long as I could get my Mom to babysit the girls and we exchanged numbers.

Her name was Trisha, and she called me back to make sure I could go and offered to pick me up at my Mom’s after I dropped off the kids. Three days later I was in the car with this stranger named Trisha on my way to the first of many adventures with these special moms.

The woman behind the counter of the post and ship probably has no idea what a gift she gave me that day. I have been honored to spend the last nineteen years calling these women my friends. Together we became a support system, advocacy resource team, activity group, storytelling travel partners, and competitive game players. Trisha always brings the best prizes for the winner and the sorriest loser.

 

 

Our experiences together and the ones that occur at home within our families link us in unique ways. We have created a shared history of stories that we have heard over and over and still laugh with each telling. And while this story of friendship began with a magnificent thread of unexpected introductions, it continues because of our commitment to each other and the time we make for our gatherings, both large and small.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have a story of a friendship born from an unusual circumstance that has lasted a lifetime? What has it meant to you? Share your story with us in the comments section or drop me a note on our contact page.