Rad Pals: Jenny Reed

"Hi, I'm Mary," I said as I shook her hand. 

"I'm Jenny" she replied with a smile.  

We traded the normal data: where we were from, what dorms we lived in, what our majors were.  I was  UNDECIDED of course.  We moved on and mingled with the rest of the crowd. 

I remember I thought she was dressed so cool - exotic almost - and I loved that we had some mutual friends through Young Life that bridged our Southwest Virginia and Miami homes. 

But what I didn't remember was her name. 

I called her Jessi for the next eight months.  We'd pass on the brick sidewalks of UVA and I'd say, "Hi Jessi," in passing.  She's smile gently as we passed one another.  

One day, she stopped me in my oblivious-I-wanted-to-know-everyone-at -UVA tracks and said very nicely, "Mary, its Jenny, not Jessi.  I've tried to tell you before, but we're always moving.  Just wanted you to know its Jenny."

Of course, I wanted to run away and hide due to my shallowness being exposed.  So, I basically did.  We saw each other for the next two years but nothing planned or arranged.  We were casual friends. 

Fast forward to our fourth year of college.  Thank goodness Ansley had the bright idea to talk to Jenny about living in our dumpy house.  She moved in. 

Cue the mood music. 

We were fast friends. 

A few thousand miles on road trips and Portland Sweetness trips later plus some dance parties and Grey's Anatomy marathons and I was calling her my soul mate. 

She is lovely. She is kind. She is smarter than I can over hope to be.  She is about the kick the Maryland Bar's tail and do something really good and useful for the world.  She is Jenny. NOT Jessi.  I am so thankful for her and her spirit.  Jenny challenges me to think and be intentional, even about the food I eat. (Okay I had bologna for lunch today...so sue me.)  She is a free spirit and an adventurer.  Just like I hope to be, she is after the fullness of life.  

So, I was SO glad when she let me stick my camera in her face during lunch in DC the other day.  I can't wait to get the first one framed.  #obsessed.