Tuesday's Tribute

A Jay and Deb Production.
We met when we were in the fourth grade. She's been a great friend for a lot of years. She was the maid of honor in my wedding. Although we only see each other rarely now, since she's moved away, I wanted to let her know her friendship still does mean the world to me and she is the bravest, most charitable, selfless person I know.

In high school, she was a foreign exchange student in Dublin, Ireland amidst the Catholics and Protestants fighting. A junior in high school, and she lived within an earshot of a war zone- in a foreign land!

She convinced me, a self-absorbed college student, to return home from school to help local businesses in our hometown by sandbagging against the rising Mississippi River during the flood of '93.

She has lived and worked in a kibbutz in Israel. She was in Guatemala during catastrophic flooding and landslides. She has helped put out forest fires. She has traveled to places like Africa and Honduras. In her travels, she doesn't live by an itinerary- always staying in hostiles, meeting locals, and learning their way of life. Her personal photo album looks like that of a reporter from National Geographic- she has no fear.

Last night, my friend, you outdid yourself! Stepping foot into my influenza germ-infested house may have been one of the bravest things you've ever done. Thanks for keeping our "date" and hanging out with me and the gang- you're a real trooper!