Judy Joy

In first grade I first encountered Judy Kathryn Beasley. Today is her birthday. She had the most amazing handwriting. As a first day of school went, it was horrible, but getting to sit at her table made it a bright shiny one. She was the best colorer. Everything was in the lines and all her crayon strokes were going in the same direction. Her Hair was long and brown. I really liked her from the very start.

It took a while for us to become friends but by second grade we were"Bests". That was the year we both got glasses. Cat-eye glasses. Third grade was the year that started our Barbie obsession. Fourth grade, we wrote a play together with our friend, Jane, and the three of us put it on for the whole fourth grade. Fifth, we fell in love with the same boy, who could have cared less. Sixth, we got excited about my baby sister being born. Seventh, we read Miss Dick's pick in English Literature, Jane Eyre and became Beatlemaniacs at the same time.

Eighth, our Beatlemania became obsession and we pretended we were married, she to Paul and me to Ringo. Letters were passed between classes as if we were on the road with them. We always cried when we heard or played "I Wanna Hold Your Hand." When "A Hard Day's Night " came out we decided on a movie marathon, crying and singing, seeing it three times in a row. We walked out completely delirious and full of big dill pickles. I still have the letter she wrote me from the Holiday Inn in Memphis the night she got to go and scream with with rest of the world as the fab four played to a packed coliseum. That only added to her charm.

Ninth made a dent in our one -on- one relationship when she fell in love. It was good to see her happy. She was always a cheerleader. Again, she was good at it. High school was the best of times and the worst of times. Guys got in between us and week-ends were consumed by dating, but our lives stayed intertwined. We had three years of art, two years of home ec and a year of mechanical drawing to add to our list of fun times. For two years we both worked part-time together. We wore each other's clothes and wrote each other notes, talking on the phone nightly.

When I think of Judy, I remember the I Corinthian 13 passage and think of her great way of loving folks. There was nothing selfish about her. She walked gracefully through some very difficult territory and remained poised and committed. Her natural way of just staying the course and doing her best made her a terrific student and friend. From the first sight of her until the last, I loved and admired her. I still do.

So today, what would have been her 59th birthday. I do my best to write a loving memory of how she changed the life of a little, chubby, cat-eye glasses, insecure girl. She would never know that when she died in September of 1970 she would be the catalyst to turn my big-girl life around. Her abrupt leaving of this world caused mine to change on it's axis. My selfish, hard heart was taken and broken and reconstructed. It was not an overnight change, but it reset my course and I ultimately began to flow in a whole new direction. Her sweet letter that lay on my dorm bed had just been read before I learned of her aneurysm. We loved each other til the end. She was just 18 and half years old.

So today, as I shed a new flow of fresh love in the form of tears, here is a word for you,
"Dear friends, let us love one another,
for love comes from God." 1 John 4:7

When God gives you special friends and they love you well, do not take that for granted. It is His great pleasure to give us this gift, this gift of companionship, this walk-alongsideness. If you have it, like I have had and have once again been blessed with, you, my friend, have been given
something that is a life-changing gift, a part of a great big plan for your life. Do not throw it away. Cherish it and it will bring life, even in the midst of tragedy. I am living proof of that.

Now...Happiest of Birthdays would be in order here on this earth, but since Judy's faith reward is eternal life, she celebrates everyday. Right now I'm drying my tears as I smile just remembering that.