Friends

Karin really is the “sweetest” of my friends. She’s funny and bouncy and kind, yet she’s no stranger to the darker side, too. There is an emotional fragileness there that can act as her gateway to the downward spiral, but she always pulls her way back into the light. I admire her fighting spirit. Karin is pure and transparent by nature -- what you see is what you get -- and what you get is a very good thing.

Karin went from zero to sixty in my life in about 3 seconds. I don’t even really know how it all happened. I distinctly remember seeing her in the studio a few weeks after she’d been hired, when Clifton and I were running a pledge drive, and I must admit I didn’t make much of an overture to get to know her that day. All of sudden, my next clear memories are of us doing things together socially and the next thing I know I’m in her wedding and she’s one of my closest friends! Seriously, (that’s a Karinism), I don’t exactly know how, or why, we clicked so quickly but we did and I’m grateful for that.

I do think we bonded in the trenches during the heat of battle. Things at work were C-R-A-Z-Y and in many ways, she had it worse than me. We looked to each other for understanding and support as we tried to fight the good fight. That strengthened our bond.

One of Karin’s greatest gifts is her ability to tell a story. It’s like you’re there. She can describe a situation really well and, while it’s sometimes inadvertent, she can be absolutely hysterical in the process of the retelling.

I will never forget how hard we both boo-hooed on the phone the night before I left for Oklahoma. I have a very, very small circle of close friends, and Karin is one of these important people in my life – she accepts me, and I accept her, craziness and all.

Karin has been on my mind lately because I know she’s feeling anxious about so many things. I really want her to be happy. I admire her for trying to build a life that will bring her the things she’s always wanted, and, with her fighting spirit, I think she’ll prevail, but the journey hasn’t been an easy one.

I guess I’m missing my good friends today. So here’s to Beth and to Clifton and to Karin…my little bitty inner circle.