Friends

We went to a Sunday morning brunch yesterday. I was grateful because I wanted something social to do on Easter.

The host announced that all of his favorite people were at his party, about 10 people.

I looked around and realized that most of them are friends...you know, people that are fun to hang out with, and you could depend on them to help you in a pinch. But not great, best friends.

Yella started to talk to my favorite person in the group. He describes himself as a F#$%$ Eco Nazis. I call him a modern day Thoreau. He is always, with enviable energy, developing some new construction project to feed the natives, or provide renewable, zero footprint housing, or ...on and on it goes.

This guy is INVENTIVE! And I really appreciate it.

But I didn't know that he had all this stuff hooked into some pretty hefty spirituality.

That's where Yella's conversation with him comes in.

They were getting into some elephant shit...better than chicken shit and meatier than bullshit...the heavy stuff.

Then I heard it. He was saying that he did what he did for spiritual reasons. Not environmental, or economic, or inventive reasons.

What caught my attention was that I had missed it. I thought he was a fringe, lunatic guy about the environment. I thought he was a conspiracy nut, "there is a committee of men in Switzerland that rule the entire world", kind of guy.

I have always enjoyed him but I put him in the "enjoyable nut case" category.

I was a little chagrin that I missed it. He comes from a great place. And I missed it.

I sure am glad Yella had this conversation with him and I was listening in.

Somehow, he started to move from my friend list to my dear, close friend list...all because I woke up and listened closer to what he had to say.

Listening. Now there is a novel thought.