Over the last couple of days I have had to thank God for my work friends. Y’all, they are a hoot. Four of these ladies give me the best set of giggles. They inspire me. They encourage me. They remind me what it’s all about.

One of my friends is deaf. Over the last year, I have become the person who interprets and lets her know what is going on. (Did I mention I do not sign?) When I started, I would write everything down. But I soon learned that people say a lot of stuff that is unimportant. So now I focus on the important things that people say. Yes, I edit. She doesn’t mind. Recently I have gotten enough courage to sign using the alphabet when she and I have private conversations.

She is amazing in that she remembers everyone we work with, even though she doesn’t know their name.  She will ask about the girl with the blonde hair. The other day, she asked about our friend Jesus’ friend.  At first I was a little throwed off because when I see the word Jesus and Friend, I think “we are all his friend.” But she meant the young man who worked with us.  She has some limited speech so when she vocalized it, she pronounced the J. I had a quiet giggle and answered her question.

I admire the fact that she works in hearing situation. She lives her life like everyone else only she can’t hear. The other day she walked passed me and I had ear plugs in to help cancel out some of the noise. She cracked up at the sight of them. She couldn’t believe I was trying to keep sound out.

Another woman I look for every work day is Ms. Positive. She is not the bubbly happy for no reason person. She is a woman with a deep seed of joy. She will tell you that she is 98 percent positive. The other 2 percent is not negative, it is just something else.  This sister has an amazing perspective on life and our purpose here. She spends her time encouraging others.

I used to sit a table over and listen to her talk to others. My favorite conversation was “poor was a state of mind. You are not poor.” But sometimes the conversation got so good, I had to join in.  She knows what she is here for and has goals. I love that.

My friend SK would be the one who makes me belly laugh. She has two daughters that started college this year, so everything I am going through, she is getting double. Let me tell you, that don’t phase her at all.  Somedays when she starts talking I hear Helen Reddy in the background singing, “I am strong! I am invincible! I am woman!” No matter what she encounters she says, “I am going to handle this.” And I see the same thing lived out in her daughters.

And finally, my girl T-Rae. She deserves to punch me in the mouth, but instead gives me a smile and says that is okay.  She is very sweet and forgiving. This morning, on our overtime day, our boss asked her “Do you know how to do XYZ?” She said “No.” I said, “Yes you do.” Because of that everyone else got to go home, and we had to stay and work.  She should have socked me in the mouth. I would have. (I really wanted to leave. I could have socked myself in the mouth.)

She is the mother of a boy and pours into his life. She is not afraid to voice views that are different than other peopel. She introduces me to stuff I have never thought about, like eating SPAM. (IKR) We have the liveliest discussions around child raising and pretty much anything on television. We often sit like Homey the Clown, reminding people that “We don’t play that.” Yet under the gruff exterior are two women who crack up laughing all the time.

Each one of these women have their own views on life and I have the privilege right now to hear it. I wish I could bring them over and we all have a conversation. It is like reading a living breathing book. And the best part is that I get to participate.