Meet Rachel.

I just want you to meet Rachel.

I met Rachel at the sweet awkward age of 15. We played in theatre together all through High School – I did the dancing and she sang and acted her heart out. We would get dressed up for no reason, watched cooking shows during lunch period,  sang and make up stories to help remember what was going to be on the geography exam, went to prom and got really awkward, performed in the talent show together and to this day, both can’t believe we didn’t win. Though we went to different colleges and proceeded down our own strange paths of life, we’ve never been far away from one another. This angel, this beautiful, joyful angel has for whatever reason stuck by me and all my insanity for over 10 years and I’m flabbergasted and awestruck every time I get to tell people that she is my best friend.

If you don’t know Rachel, I invite you into her sacred space.

Rachel is a high school teacher, a mother, an actress, a director, a mentor, a storyteller, a singer, a sister and a wife. She’s one of those women you meet and wonder how she came into being… as if no one in this world could really be THAT sweet. But she is. Rachel’s love is a deep, sympathetic love. She hears you, she wants to know, to understand, and then she feels it. She sits in it with you so you don’t have to go through it alone. She’s been there for me when I’ve been just, well.. bad. But no matter how bad I’ve been to myself or to others, she’s been good to me. She reminds me that I need love too and that she’ll always be there to give it. She also plays in the silliest ways. We always have the most amazing time just being our weird selves together. No nonsense, our foolishness is loud, sweet and true. She keeps the 15 year old alive in me. The one that doesn’t yet know how to care what other people think because she’s too busy becoming. She’s an incredibly talented human being with all the gifts of the world at her fingertips and I’m blessed every day to know she shares them with me. I don’t think I can actually express my love for this girl fully. It’s too  much for words.

She also has given the world a beautiful little girl – my niece – Gwen. This little girl makes me freak out every time I see her.. And to know that her mother is one of the most beautiful and genuine people I know – it somehow restores my faith in humanity. It’s people like Rachel and her husband Nevin that make me feel like things will be ok, no matter how backwards and broken they appear.

This time around, I just wanted you to meet Rachel as I know Rachel. I invite you to take a moment now to reach out to your soulmate and tell them you love them and appreciate them for all they are. Thank them for allowing you to be who you are.

Rachel, my little bird head, I love you.

|namaste |