My Timeless Friendship with Angele Christensen

I start to walk down memory lane when I think of Angele Christensen, who has not only been in my life for longer than she hasn’t, but has been a beloved, long-time friend. We live hundreds of miles apart and have only seen each other a handful of times over a 20+ year span, but each and every time we have a conversation, it’s as if we speak every day. I feel that our souls are old friends who got to meet and enjoy each other’s company here on Earth.

Angel reminds me of a well-balanced grandfather clock: she’s stunning and beautiful, yet sturdy and stoic. She has the deep wisdom of a grizzled old man who’s seen centuries of joys and hardships. Angel never stops ticking, through storms or sunny days, she continues to keep perfect time.

It’s interesting to look back in time and see our teenage years with the eyes of a thirty-something: I realize that even at that age, Angel was the glue that held her family together. She was, and is, wise beyond her years, and her family has always leaned on her for support. She is a master at handling herself and her life situations with ease and grace, while also giving support to those around her.

I remember looking UP to Angel: she was the first person to welcome me to a new city, new school, new everything, and she was (and still is) just so epically cool. She’s not only lovely to look at, but she presents herself with uniqueness and confidence, and it makes for mastery in authenticity. Angel has a way of making the people around her feel special and accepted: she loves unconditionally despite (and sometimes BECAUSE of) perceived flaws.

Over the years, our friendship has shifted and changed, but Angel has remained steadily important to me. I can recall times in my life of deep despair: moments when I wanted to end my life, moments when I thought I had no friends, and I’d see Angel’s intense eyes cross my mind, crying at my funeral. I knew she’d be sad if I left, and sometimes that’s all I needed to keep myself alive that day. Angel has stayed true to her namesake and saved my life on countless occasions.

From Angel, I’ve learned what it means to be authentic. She lives her life the way that makes HER happy and gives everyone around her the same grace. Angel takes everything in stride, and she’s taught me what it looks like to just flow with life and accept people and situations for just what they are. She’s shown me what BALANCE looks like in a person and what it takes to keep ticking.

I’m not sure that I can even CONVEY my immense gratitude for my friendship with Angel. She’s given me so many lessons, big and small, and I see them as GIFTS she’s given me through the years. Some of these gifts stretch over decades of time. I’m BETTER for knowing her, and I just don’t know how to put that kind of appreciation into words.

Thank you, Angel. I’m eternally grateful to your place in this life, and I look forward to meeting you in the next one.