I just returned from Friday Harbor, and it was overwhelmingly amazing! I have so much to say, but since I'm so exhausted, I'm not sure if I'm going be very cohesive. I don't even know where to start. Here goes my best shot.
When I first pulled into the harbor, riding the ferry, I suddenly became extremely emotional. I started to worry that maybe the trip to the island was a mistake. I was intimidated by the thought of running into people, not sure if people would recognize me, or that I would have to do a lot of explaining.
As Danny and I came off the boat, we walked up to the Crab Shack (Danny was drawn in by the smell of the fajitas wafting through the open air market). While we waited for Danny's lunch, I was hiding behind my sun glasses, looking around and hoping that I didn't see anyone I recognized. All of a sudden a familiar face popped around the corner. It was a guy that I went to high school with, panicking, my heart rate jumped through the roof. Instantly, I had a billion thoughts run through my mind, "Does he recognize me?"; "Does he remember who I am?"; "Does he even know that I have a tumor?" But just as quickly as those thoughts flooded through mind they were squashed, because he took off his sun glasses, came straight toward Danny and I, and gave me a huge hug. The first thing that came out of his mouth was, "Holy cow, you just made my day!"
Even though this guy was my age, and we'd grown up together, we hadn't been really close friends. I later learned, from our conversation that it was his 30th birthday. I was completely blown away, that on his birthday he told me that I made his day. It was such a heart warming statement, that was so sincere and kind. It was exactly what I needed. From that moment on I relaxed. I'm so grateful for his kindness, I can't even begin to explain it.
From that first interaction on the island, I knew that it was going to be an emotionally healing weekend. Driving through town, as we went to the house, I gave what would be the last cry of the weekend. It was happy tears to be home, a place that fills my soul.
