I was driving home today with the windows down and LP blaring through the speakers. As I was driving I was thinking about who I'd write about for the evening. This question comes up every day around this time if it hasn't already been solved due a podcast I've heard making me think of a specific person or a status update to the social interwebs that needed celebrating.
Today I began thinking about my friend Sonya.
I've already written about her lovely wife Susan... Please don't let Susan know I referred to her as lovely by the way. It would throw a wrench in our brother/sister back and forth that lands just shy of me telling on her for being a bossy britches.
Anyway, I've poured out the love on Susan Barone and now it's time to hit up the other SB (Sonya Barbour) with a healthy dose of #thisiscrazylove2016
I remember the day I first saw Sonya. It was shortly after I had met Susan. Susan and my worlds collided in the best way possible because of our quite different involvements with the same group of people.
Shortly thereafter I was in Whole Foods. I saw Susan and said hello. Sonya was with her. I remember this moment very well and have never told the two of them about it from my perspective.
I said hello to Susan as Sonya was looking at something close by. As we spoke briefly I caught a glance from Sonya. It felt strange. It was a glance that said, I protect her so you better be nice.
Knowing Sonya now the way I do I struggle to trust that memory. It has rattled around in my mind over the years and tried to lie to me or change up the circumstances.
Then today I realized that one of the things I love most about Sonya is that she will fight to protect anyone she cares for. She'd probably fight for those she doesn't know if they are in harms way but I know for sure she'd fight to protect a loved one.
Sonya has this voice... this beautiful southern drawl in a higher, sweet tone that makes one feel at home on a porch drinking iced tea with the April sun beating down. Her tone and tenderness lull you in to a place of safety and security. It says, "you can trust me. I'll take good care of you."
She's a Nurse Practitioner and loves working and caring for people from difficult situations. She takes the job seriously, as you'd expect, but more than that. When I've talked to her about her work she lights up about the things she does and the people she helps.
She lights up the very same way when she sees either Beckie or myself.
When we have shared difficult scenarios with the two of them, Sonya's eyebrows crinkle up in the middle and she stares into our eyes to search out every word to make sure she comprehends the entire situation.
The easy thing to have written about Sonya is her musical ability. Her voice is sheer magic and anyone who celebrated her and Susan's marriage several years ago upon hearing her sing to her lovely can attest it was breathtaking.
I didn't cry. I did. Not. Cry.
Okay, maybe I cried a little.
And even though music is such a big part of her it isn't the part I love the most. I love the nature of her character and the nurture of her soul. She is a true friend. If I were to try and capture Sonya with a descriptor it would be this. She is like Spring. She's the windows down, breeze flowing through and a powerful voice coming from the speakers.
I love you Sonya Barbour. Here's your #thisiscrazylove2016