Me at 18 
Me at 35
My so long ago self…
Emily asked if I would be friends with that girl?
I think I would
but she would try me more than I could bare
and I would probably step away from her a few time to breath
the patience to withstand her defenses would take much
years of learning and loving
Her melodramatics were off the chart
Her hair and face always in need of perfection
she could not even just BE without a tumult of fuss
over something or someone
always searching for acceptance and interest
it would become a life long battle
She didn’t know Jesus then
she didn’t know in whom she could believe
Always in search of the fabled OTHERS to make her complete
not realizing that those others are also looking for the same
and are broken souls longing too
in waiting for Jesus
I would worry and pray hard over that girl
she was so lost looking for love in all the wrong places
tripping over herself
and never seeing her damage done
use and abuse
reuse and refuse
a cycle of pain and torture
I would be her friend …
visualize her loving, gentle, forgiving
full of mercy
and steady
servant
worshipper
giving much
pouring out
yeah I would be her friend
after all I was all she had then
And when you realize how much you can’t change yourself, you can see others as broken beautiful ones as well who are just trying to make it through this hard life, and you just want to love them and nod your head at them and say, “I know, I know. And I love you just the same.” – Sarah Mae -guest post on A holy Experience
Linking with Emily:
http://www.emilywierenga.com/2013/01/would-you-be-friends-with-your-younger.html
Sunday2Monday 
oh thank you!!! funny how a little enemy of guilt can topple in on top of you when you wonder why you cant handle it and have to step away to breathe…I needed that! :0)
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Thanks for writing, Starla, it was a good post for me to write too. I think something about finding compassion for my younger self frees me to love others (including my children!) when they reach that age too and, yes, loving can and often does include stepping away for a bit to breathe!
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THANKS! this was a very good post for me to write…as I have often been ashamed of that girl. Thank you for asking this of us to write. I needed to see this from the different angle. Needed to love the me of then.
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oh starla, wow… you were all she had. wow. this is powerful. thank you so much for sharing… i’m so glad you found Jesus. xo
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