Unexpected Surprise

Wow.

Another of my friends, a year younger than I, got married this past weekend.

She got engaged only within the past month. It was a shock when she changed her Facebook status to "engaged" - she even had to tell people she wasn't joking ...

Within the past day or so, she just changed her status to married ... with a new profile picture of herself in a simple white dress (which didn't look like a wedding dress). I, like many others, thought it must have been a joke ... but today, she uploaded pictures of the wedding ceremony.

This girl and I were good friends back in high school. Her father accepted a position at our church, and she and her siblings got involved in the youth music ministry. She was very shy at first, and I thought I recognized many of the qualities in her that I saw in myself. We sang together in church and at school, in choirs and in smaller ensembles. I encouraged her and watched her grow more confident in her talent as I had done. When I held a youth music camp for my Girl Scout Gold Award, she was my assistant.

During my senior year, she had decided she wasn't going to try out for the school musical. I was incredibly excited about the musical and I just knew that I would be perfect for the lead role. She would be perfect for one of the main supporting roles. I encouraged her to try out, telling her we'd have a lot of fun. She considered it and eventually decided to audition.

She got the lead role.

Still, we were friends. I was upset at first, but I did my best to hide it from her. (I learned to enjoy my character, a lesser lead, and she played her part beautifully.) I respected and admired her. I still do.

As is often the case, we grew apart during college. We were never quite confidantes, and we talked even less when both of us were at school. She went off to a performance program at a great school but left after a year. I never understood why she'd left such a reputable program to go to another school which virtually had no music program at all. Then apparently she left that school and has been working ever since.

I don't remember the last time I talked with her. I no longer think we are as similar as I did.

And now she's married.

Wow.