Matchmaker

Spent the weekend nursing the egos of two friends.

Cowboy Jason is still broken up about the loss of his girlfriend. It's sad, and we spent hours this weekend talking about it. I basically tell Jason that I've been there and seen all of it before. It doesn't get any easier for him, and I completely understand. When you've invested time and spilled your emotions to someone you truly care about, only to have it taken away from you, it's really hard.

I know. It took me more than a year to get over my own pain. I still have it, sure, but it's not constant like it once was. I had to learn harder than most to let go of it and find ways to spend time so I wasn't always thinking about it. Cowboy Jason helped me through that, and he knows it. He and I have a bit of a different view of how to accomplish the same thing -- to love someone with all of your heart -- but it essentially accomplishes the same thing.

I also talked briefly to a good friend of mine, Wes, who lives in Wyoming. It's funny -- Wes and I at first did not get along -- but he's become one of a small circle of very trusted friends with whom I can talk about most anything. He's a good listener, and I've tried to be the same to him.

Wes has been dating, by all accounts, a lovely young woman at work. They've taken things slow (a very good thing) in that they haven't even kissed. I mean, that's not only sweet, that's, well, thoughtful, because they spend a lot of time together talking about life. I get the sense that Wes really likes this girl, because he's taken the time to get to know who she is. That's so very important, I think.

I think Wes is as classy a guy as I've ever known. For starters, he's a great boss who treats his employees with respect, and he certainly lent me an ear when my family left me. He was always there to offer rides to me to work, to talk -- whatever I needed. We've talked about once every two weeks or so since I've been gone, and when I talk to him, I get nostalgic for the crunch of snow under my feet, for the smell of the oil refineries near the Casper Star-Tribune, even the wind that whips around during the winter.

Now, I'm wondering how things are going with him and his friend. I told Wes that I was pulling for him in the worst way, even being as far away from him as I am now. I would love to be a character witness for him. I want him, as I do Jason, to be happy.

About a year ago, people were counseling me about feeling better and trying to cher me up. Now I'm doing the same thing for them. It feels good...it really does. People have been so kind to me, and maybe this is Heavenly Father's way of telling me that I, too, can help people when they need it most.