Patti J. Smith - "Friends & Change"

When I lived in Seattle in the 70's and 80's,  I had six really close friends, in fact one of them was a room-mate. Our priorities were our careers, men, shopping, partying - all the things single ladies cared about in the big city.  We were always together and were more like sisters than friends.  None of us practiced any form of religion, in fact, (I hate to admit this) considered Christians "cultish".

We all eventually married and settled down but still carried the same negative view on Christians. When I relocated to Southern California we stayed close through visits and constant phone calls. That was until I got sober and subsequently found my way back to Christ.  My getting sober wasn't the problem, none of them drank like I did...I had joined "the cult".  In 2005, I entered the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) program and was baptized in 2006.  Through RCIA and attending mass I fell head over heels in love with God.  

I was euphoric and wanted to share my new life with them because, as I said before, they were like family to me.  I knew how they felt about Christians and I wasn't trying to convert them (but secretly praying they would) ...  I just wanted to share my joy . That's when the visits, phone calls and e-mails stopped.  Come to think of it, so did the birthday and Christmas cards.  I was up in the Seattle area a couple of years ago and decided, although we hadn't had much communication, maybe we could at least get together for lunch for old time's sake, but they all had "other plans". 

I suppose the change was just too radical for them to accept.  I wasn't the Patti they knew and loved anymore, the one they befriended over thirty years ago...and that's okay because:

I am the Patti GOD knows and loves, and nothing else matters.