Dimples, Spice and Everything Nice

Friendship Series

There is a moment in your life when you realize that there are people in this world that God really wanted in your life. I found this friend in Angie Thompson. Since 8 years old we have giggled, laughed, cried and walked life's road together. Tonight Angelika Underwood joins me on "My Journey."

There are many things I do not remember in this life. I don't remember my first step, I don't remember my first hair cut and I do not remember when why or how I got to be 51 years old. But I do remember the first time I saw her. We were 8 years old and those smiling dimples were immediately burned into my mind. What still strikes me is that her sweet voice was just as beautiful as she was and still is to this day. It was the first time in my life I realized that there was nothing more I wanted then to be a life long friend of that wonderful person. God answered my prayers. He still does.

Angie

What can I say about my friendship with Ronnie, and yes I still have to call him that.  To me that is who he will always be.   We began our friendship at the ripe old ages of 8 and 9 at Jamestown Elementary.  I remember being terrified being at a new school in a new area, but I met the best people, Ronnie, Jackie, Debra, Bianca, Mickey, Jimmy, Becky and many others who made me feel welcome.  We all came from different backgrounds but when we got to school, those backgrounds didn’t matter anymore, that was one of the best parts of going to school there.  I have a lot of fond memories of Ronnie growing up.  I remember once getting in trouble and having to sit in the office with Mr. Bernard, I believe Ronnie and I were talking too much, which is not too surprising.  We both liked to talk!

It was the decade of the 70's. Gas was high and so was unemployment. We lived in small town USA. Some us were poor and others had a mom or a Dad. Some of us were good at sports and others were good at math. Some of us had money some did not. NONE OF IT MATTERED. At Jamestown we were family. I remember in sixth grade we all worked hard to help each other raise money to go to Science Camp. The thought of one of us not going was out of the question. We did bake sales and car washes together. We laughed through life.

There were hard days and tears. Some of us had trouble at home some of us had trouble at school. But together we overcame.

Angie

We continued through school together, graduating from 8^th grade to the tune of Rainbow Connection and then high school 4 years later.  But one of my favorite memories of Ronnie was at our Junior College graduation, he was our speaker and he spoke of his sister Tina.  It was there I learned at what magnitude he loved his family.  I never knew someone could love their family that much.  I had always known he was a great person, but this was the icing on the cake that confirmed everything I knew about him.  He was always supportive of me and my goals, not everyone thought I could finish, but Ronnie always did. 

Six years later when we graduated from Stanislaus State with our respective degrees,  he was not surprised I was there to graduate with him because Ronnie always believes we can accomplish anything and he has more faith in us than we do in ourselves.   At his graduation party I was fascinated by all his pictures of him with the President of the United States, I believe he even had one with President Reagan who is and will always be my favorite President.  I am not sure how he met all those Presidents, but it was impressive.  That night he gave me a locket with pictures of our younger selves and our 4 graduation dates inscribed on the back, I still have it locked away.    We now live several hours apart and it is so nice we can still stay connected through Facebook and see how each other are doing. 

As I made my way across that 8 th grade stage to get my diploma there was Angie smiling. We had made it and we felt like we had conquered the world. From late night school plays to sharing our lives at recess and chats after school we had a special bond.

Four years later she was one of the first I looked for when I got my high school diploma. Then the road took turns and somehow many years later she stood on the stage with me as we got our AA degrees. Marriage, babies and dirty diapers slowed down the next stage of our lives but somehow God saw to it that she was there when we got our Bachelors degrees. 

The bible tells us:

1 John 4:12

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

That is the beauty of the love that a good friend gives us. A true friend, a good person, excepts us for who we are and not for what we are. To often people find our flaws or weaknesses our medical conditions and they turn away. Not people like Angie. Angie loves me for real. You see a true heart does not care about success, money or  Parkinson's symptoms like a blank stare, a weak memory or shaking arms. Instead good friends embrace us because of those challenges we face. Angie is that friend. 

Angie

Now that Ronnie is fighting a new battle with Parkinson’s, I have no doubt in my mind that he will conquer this disease and will live a long life with it.  This is Ronnie we are talking about and if it can be accomplished he will be the one to do it!

As I sit here I can still hear roll call in the my class. Each student says here and we all smile at each other. Another day would begin and we were together. I am blessed in this life and believe it or not I am blessed to have Parkinson's Disease. That is right I am not afraid. Why? How can I be when I have so much love and support on my side. Who can be against me when I have a God that has shown me through the hard times in life that he is there for me. He is there in the laugh of a child,  a hug of a wife and the dimpled smile of a life long friend.

I have many years of this life left and around each corner there will be a challenge, a supporting friend and a God that carries me and keeps me singing Hallelujah. Someday somewhere on this road I travel I will run to Jesus no turning back. Thank God almighty I will be free and I will be with those who love me. Those like Angie who have held my hand and held me up on "My Journey."

Why are there so many songs about rainbows and what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions, and rainbows have nothing to hide.
So we've been told and some choose to believe it.
I know they're wrong wait and see.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.

Who said that wishes would be heard and answered when wished on the morningstar?
Someone thought of that and someone believed it.
Look what it's done so far.
What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing and what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.

All of us under its spell.
We know that it's probably magic.

Have you been half asleep and have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name.
Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailors.
The voice might be one and the same.
I've heard it too many times to ignore it.
It's something that I'm supposed to be.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers and me.