Being Jesus to our Friends

I have continued to think about my recent visit with two elementary school friends. While I took the time to rant and rave about the unfriendly skies, I realized that I hadn't reflected on the heart of my visit, the time I spent with my friends.
Chara, my friend who is fighting breast cancer is seated next to me in the front with the lilac hat. Hallie who joined us for Friday is standing behind us. We have known each other since first grade.
I am so thankful that I went to spend Chara's birthday with her. It was a beautiful day of simply being with her. We hugged, laughed, shared, and just were. It was a delightful day of friendship where we were simply focused on being with each other. No computers, no cell phones, no interruptions.
I know many of my friends remarked how kind it was of me to go "all the way to California" to spend a couple of days with my friend. But it was her birthday, we have known each other for eons, and she is heroically fighting an illness (metastatic breast cancer) head on with no complaining. I felt as if I was the one who had been blessed beyond measure.
It wasn't immediately apparent to me that her vision was significantly impaired, although I did know that a recent surgery had left her blind in her left eye. But she "knows" her way around her home, (which is actually her parents home and her little corner of the world is the living room couch) so one forgets how poor her vision is.
We embraced when I arrived and held each other in an embrace that communicated care, concern and years of friendship. She started to cry, but I knew if I started, neither one of us would stop...so I said, "We'll have NONE of that!" and we moved on. She served me coffee, made me breakfast, was the consummate hostess exhibiting a tremendous degree of hospitality. She also wanted to take me to a couple of her favorite haunts, and I met an incredible woman, Antoinette who has an angel gift shop, and then a quick stop at Barnes and Nobles for a gift for a friend. But it took it out of her. And it wasn't until we were walking in downtown Oceanside that it became apparent how impaired her vision is. So she took my arm and I guided her up and down curbs.
"You know, Kathy" Chara remarked, "I was downtown not too long ago with another friend who was helping me negotiate the sidewalks when a woman commented very loudly, 'I just hate to see it when two women hang all over each other like that' but I corrected her." It struck me how quickly we all judge without understanding the big picture. It is difficult enough to traverse an illness, which she is doing with such grace, let alone be the brunt of judgemental comments.
When I returned home (remember, bad air travel, not till 6 am Sunday) I did go to church where I was reminded of the importance of living a life that represents Christ and the truth that I had an opportunity to be Jesus to her. But more to the point was that she was Jesus to me. Her strength and kindness were a reflection of Jesus' love for me.