Catching Up with My Best Friend

     My best friend has been gone for three and a half weeks now. She's on a missions trip in Florida and still has six weeks left to go. Tonight was the first time I'd talked to her since she left. And this is saying something. Before she left, we spent almost every waking minute together. She lives 2 minutes (or 3 if I'm driving) down the road from me, so we basically live at each other's houses.
      So for us not to talk to each other for this long is a record. I mean, we've texted, but neither of us have had the time to just sit down and talk about what's new in our lives. She works 40 hours a week, has activities every night, and does missions work on the weekends. I haven't had a whole lot going on lately, but when I've been busy, it just so happens to be when she has a day off or a free moment.
      So tonight is the first time we've really had a heart to heart in over three weeks. We didn't even really plan it. It just kind of worked out. Her parents and brother visited her this weekend, so she mentioned that she might be a little down with them leaving. I asked what I could do to cheer her up, and she asked if I had a few minutes to talk. So finally, at 11:20 tonight, we got a chance to talk!
      I didn't realize how much we had missed with each other. I started talking and couldn't stop, and when I finally did, she had just as much to say! But, I was very pleasantly reassured by our talk. I wasn't quite sure how she was feeling. She's had very little sleep for the past few weeks; has been on the go nonstop; is drained physically, emotionally, and spiritually; and her parents were leaving. I honestly expected her to be a little down in the dumps.
      But when she picked up on the other end, I didn't hear a sad or disheartened Madi. I honestly don't know if I've ever heard her this enthusiastic and happy! Not to say that she's not normally a happy person, but this was different. I could tell how much my best friend had changed (in a positive way) since the last time I'd chatted with her.
      I told her all about what had happened in my life first, and then she caught me up on what is happening in her life. Which is a lot! I can tell how much Madi has grown spiritually. She just has a joy when she's talking about missions and her relationship with God. And some of the things she told me she's learned, even in the past week, are just inspiring. She is a completely new, confident person. She's shed her insecurities. She's learning how to be more outgoing. It's just amazing and inspiring. I keep thinking, "I want to have an experience like this so I can
grow as much as she has!"
      I guess all of this is just a really long way to say that I'm proud of my friend and her progress. I'm reassured about her life in Florida and about the good that she's doing there. And, I'm reminded of how much I sorely miss my best friend. But, I have a new excitement for my best friend as she finishes up her journey, and I can't wait for her to return home soon so that I can get to know the new Madi!