Nov 23: Unexpected friends

I've posted about friends on a few occasions. On reflecting on things for which I am thankful, there are a number of unexpected friendships that come to mind.

From the blogging world -- I've met Mike and Bill and would like to meet a few other bloggers that I've been following for quite some time. There are even a few bloggers from the past (that no longer blog) that I would still like to meet.

Blogging, Facebook, and NATCA have connected me to several people that I consider unlikely friends. One is an air traffic controller/preacher/blogger that I had the pleasure of meeting in Boston on my epic motorcycle trip last year.
Another retired controller/blogger is from MN and I look forward to meeting him in the future. We've experienced many of the same political and religious struggles over the years and I think we'd get along well.
One interesting person is someone that it seems I have very little in common with. He's a Buddhist that likes soccer! And yet, somehow I think we'd enjoy meeting and getting to know each other on a more personal level.
There are two women from NATCA that I consider as unexpected friendships. One of them served as Executive Vice President for a number of years and the other is the one that pretty much ran the National Office through all of the different executive boards throughout my career. Each of these women were kind of a big deal in the NATCA world. Although I did meet them and work on a couple of national committees, I was just a guy from a small facility in the Midwest and I am honestly a little surprised they even remember me. I got to visit with one of them on my motorcycle trip and meet her fiance (now husband). I'd also consider him to be an unexpected friend, even though they took me to a gas station for lunch! We talked about bikes, bourbon and exchanged cigars so I think we'd get along just fine.

There are a number of people that I'm meeting through our new church that I just would not have ever been exposed to a year or so ago. I am a little angry at finding out just how many people have been hurt by self-righteous Christians and churches that proclaim to worship Jesus (who commands us to love others). Many of them are a part of the LGBTQ community and are among the most caring, loving, and forgiving people I've ever met.
Others are family members that churches have tossed aside because they decided to choose loving their family over condemning them.
Why is it that the marginalized persons of our society seem to have a greater capacity of grace and mercy than the privileged?

I am blessed by these and many other friendships. In truth, most of my friendships are somewhat unexpected as I tend to guard myself from too much exposure.  I realize that not everyone that I consider to be my friend also considers me to be their friend. To those of you that do, I am honored and blessed.

John <><