The moment that my best friend told me he was entering a Traditional Latin Rite Roman Catholic seminary, I knew my life (and his) was never going to be the same. For one thing, I've known him my whole life, and this particular seminary he's attending (in rural Nebraska which is a whopping 1,353 miles from our hometown of Harrisburg, PA) for the next seven years allows no phones, no social media and no visits from women (besides the occasional mother/sister). The only way to get direct communication is through handwritten letters, and while they are granted breaks for winter and summer, they are minimal. Therefore, over the past few months I have found myself reflecting on what it means to have to say goodbye to a friend who has changed your life in so many ways for the better.
However, while he and I have gone to school together our entire lives, it was only after going off to college that we became as close as we are now. Ironically, as he grew more devout in his faith and answered his call to the priesthood, my path in life lead me in a vastly different direction. And while he and I are essentially night and day in terms of our opinions surrounding politics and theology, my best friend and I are living, breathing proof that individuals who possess two entirely different outlooks on life can not only remain cordial, but actually benefit from having one another in their lives. The more I talk about it, the more I find that I could go on for days about all the influence he has had in my life, that being said, I condensed all of the things into a list that basically outlines the positive impact that my best friend, a future priest, had on me...
10. You can't always be a prophet in your own land...
My best friend is the most charismatic person you will ever meet in your life. Despite having views that aren't necessarily the most popular, because of the way he carries himself and the genuine interest he takes in all people, he is loved by everyone. Over the years, I've watched from the sidelines as he's inspired a number of people, and while he has undoubtedly done much for those who are like-minded to him, the people whose lives he's touched the most are the types of people (mostly my friends) who had never met anyone like him before.
9. Differences are only as critical as you make them...
Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and opinions, but just because two people disagree doesn't mean it has to impede on a friendship. As I've learned from him, you can always find more in common with people than you may initially see on the surface.
8. You're never too old to try new things...
While going to a Solemn High Mass at a Traditional Latin Rite Chapel was not necessarily my cup of tea, my best friend has always made me excited to try things outside my comfort (and even sometimes interest) zones in order to better myself. The best part? He does it out of care and excitement, not out of condescension. But it's not just a one-way street, last semester he drove almost 5 hours to take me to my spring sorority formal! (And in case you were wondering it was an absolute blast).
7. No one is a hopeless cause...
So many people in my life have expressed disappointment in me or even lost faith in me during my tough times, but he never did. That's something you don't forget.
6. Life always has surprises waiting...
And so it goes in life, we've both hit some pretty major bumps in the road on our separate journeys towards our dreams. But his outlook on life's obstacles NEVER ceases to be positive, no matter how trying the times get, and I try in almost every way I can to take something from that.
5. It never hurts to compare perspectives...
While we may bicker and drive each other absolutely bonkers sometimes, I'm so blessed to have someone in my life who will always lovingly debate with me and challenge me to think outside the box, whether we come to an agreement on an issue or not...
4. The craziest people are the most lovely ones...
As they say repeatedly in Alice In Wonderland, all the best people are mad, completely bonkers. I would not be who I am today without my group of completely eccentric best friends who are never afraid to let their freak flag fly.
3. "My best friend is going to be a Catholic priest" is a fun ice breaker...
People react the same way just about every time...
2. R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Honestly, you don't truly start to understand respect for other people's differences until they're the people you care about. Just how it is.
1. All you need is love...
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