A Curious Girl: Two are better than one

You can call me up in the night
I will pray till you win the fight
We're more than friends
We walk together
Through any weather
We sharpen each other

I'll be there when you call
Pick you up when you fall
Two are better than one
You will pray when I'm weak
Help me back upon my feet
Two are better than one
Two are better than one

When I start to cross the line
You just seem to read my mind
And then you bust me
Then turn around and trust me
Come to the rescue
I'd do the same for you

I'll be there when you call
Pick you up when you fall
Two are better than one
You will pray when I'm weak
Help me back upon my feet
Two are better than one
Two are better than one

I don't want to go solo
It's always better with two
I just want someone to lift me up
To pray and help me get through

I'll be there when you call
Pick you up when you fall
Two are better than one
You will pray when I'm weak
Help me back upon my feet
Two are better than one
Two are better than one

-Petra (from the album No Doubt)

It's funny, since I did that lyrics questionnaire I've thought up songs much more appropriate to the question. For instance, the Pink Floyd song 'Time' describes what I am afraid of much better than the Blue Planet song... and I think this song describes friendship better, in some ways, too.

I was in Christian Union today, another half-attended meeting (Alive is taking over, I guess...) and Rob, who is not-quite-Christian-but-interested was there. In many ways, he's like I was nearly seven years ago. It's really encouraging to see someone so eagerly searching for knowledge, because even though he isn't a Christian, God's Spirit is so definitely at work in him. The mere fact that he'd come to a Wednesday afternoon meeting says a lot!

It got me thinking about when I was first in CU - I would call myself a Christian then, because although I didn't know about the cross, I was really seeking God and getting to know him, when I heard about the cross it was like I had already been saved, but I'd just found out why... :) Anyhoo, this is all in my testimony...

I'd just joined a new school and was very shy. Somehow, whilst all the other people from my primary school had spread their wings and made squillions of new friends, I stuck with Christina. Often we saw each other on the way to school, and we'd chat. I didn't really tell her I was a Christian, but I think she got the idea when I started talking about praying and CU as a really great idea... One day, we both saw the posters, and thought, 'Let's go!'

So we did. I really doubt I would have gone alone!

So she invited me to Girls' Brigade, and I got in with that and with Church, and got to talk to her a lot about God.

And so, as I was playing the above song loudly this afternoon whilst chopping salad, it occurred to me. I'm so lucky to have her! I realised once again, that God really blessed me when he put us together. You see, neither of us were really popular at the time... I was a quiet weird one, and she was a loud weird one ;-) Sometimes, I'd dream of being popular, and I guess that rather strained things... One day in Christian Union, a new girl came, I think she was in Year 10 and her name was Wendy. Could be wrong. We introduced ourselves. Then I playfully hugged Christina and said, "And this is my bestest friend in all the world!" And she said something like, "You'd be embarrassed to admit that."

But then I thought, "Why?" I mean, here was a friend who'd been my companion since school began. She was very loyal, kind, friendly, and just generally nice. Although I felt embarrassed to admit that at school she was really my only friend (in fact, this is embarrassing but I can't think of anyone I was good friends with in Year Seven other than her. A boy in my class always said I had no friends and I remember making sure I'd learned everyone's names in GB so I could say, "See, I'm friends with a girl called so-and-so...")... although she was my only real, true, proper friend at school, and a little weird at that, hey, she was my best friend. When I think that I shyly hung around hoping for confidence and popularity to suddenly hit me, I hadn't noticed the really great friend God had popped right onto my doorstep. I hadn't noticed that, behind the pulled-up socks and the 'extreme intelligence' (I'm putting on a voice from the Demon Headmaster Takes Over, but you can't hear me :)) she was a really great person. She accepted me for myself, listened to my whingings, appreciated my weirdness instead of being shy of it... and in turn, I could do the same for her, once I'd realised what a creative and intelligent and well as passionate person she is. (And no, she no longer wears pulled up socks. In fact she's in fashion... waaay more than me, who nowadays could not in fact give a toss, or even manage to go clothes shopping for very long. It's so boring.)

Yes, she's very passionate... she gets all fired up about things! :) And yes, there are days when I could groan when she's bouncing over to me about something new, but generally it's very refreshing.

She's a dedicated Christian - one of the things that has really blessed us both, I think, is that our personal faith is quite different in some ways, so we can learn from each other. I'm glad that she's mad about God, and she's also taught me by being questioning as well as accepting. Her dedication really challenges me! And yet I know, when she's feeling down, she'll tell me, and hopefully I can help her. And that's one of the most awesome things, that I know I can give to her as well as ask from her... it just makes everything so satisfying :) So, even when I got friends, she was still my best friend - it wasn't just 'my best friend, my only friend' - it was a friendship with an awesome person, that might never have happened but for so many little things. The quiet weird one got lucky, she didn't get the friends she wanted at first, but got the friend she needed, and now they're the same people.

Back when I was eleven or twelve, I occasionally thought that if we had a theme song it might be 'Two are better than one'. Then I thought that was a bit sad to imagine we had a theme song, so I forgot about it.

Anyway, I was playing it this afternoon, and I think although we don't need a theme song, it does describe things pretty well.

And then when I thought about it, that she should say I would be embarrassed to admit that she was my best friend seemed totally ridiculous. Maybe it didn't then. But I hope she knows better now. :-)

I'm extremely grateful to God for putting us together. Without someone to walk next to in my 'walk with Christ' the journey would have been harder, and much less interesting! I'm feeling amazingly thankful that he gave me such a great friend, and didn't expect me to do it alone... And that I can be a good friend to her too makes it twice as good.

Whilst I was still mulling this all over, and deciding what I was going to write in my diary about it, I had a chat with Christina herself. And then she suddenly said unexpectedly...

Christina says:

you're an awesome best friend.

Helen says:

*blinks* what?

Christina says:

you are! i don't know wot i'd do if you hadn't been around all these years

Christina says:

you're a Godsend

Helen says:

this is kinda weird, I was thinking about when I was a very young Christian, and wondering what I'd have done without you earlier today then I played Petra, Two are better than one, and got all nostalgic

Helen says:

Anyways, you're welcome. I love you too babe

Christina says:

yeah i was thinking of that song too! Actually it's from a bible verse, i forget which one.

Helen says:

lol! wow, that is so great

Christina says:

yup

Helen says:

damn, I was going to write a diary entry about how much I love being best friends, I hope you won't think it's prompted

Christina says:

nah, definitely not

Christina says:

that's worrying though, we obviously spend too much time together

Christina says:

we;re starting to think along the same lines

LOL... Anyway, we carry on like this, Hollywood will make a cheesy movie about us. Starring Britney Spears! :)

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