Me, Rick, and Fran

On our way home from Doxy and Dear Friend's wedding, Fran and I left from the same airport. Fran's host kindly drove us to the airport, but he dropped us off early, because he had things to do that day, so Fran and I had more time to visit with each other, and we both got to meet Rick, who blogs at Travelingman Rick's Blog, a virtual friend of Fran's. Rick lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, and he drove to the airport to meet Fran and got me for lagniappe.

I know, I know. All the virtual to real life friends and meetings get confusing. Rick was Fran's virtual friend, but she had never met him in real life, and I did not know Rick or Rick's blog before we met. See. It's simple after I explain it.

Anyhoo, Rick is a lovely man, and it was a great pleasure to meet him. We shared coffee and conversation for an hour or so. Rick will soon be headed to Paris, and I am jealous, jealous, jealous.

Rick is gay, and he had bad experiences with religion and church in former days. He sent me an email which moved me greatly. His words are below. I asked his permission to quote them here.

You are a genuine peach, and I am so glad our paths crossed today. While I would not say that I am anti-religious, for some years now, I have been disdainful of organized religion in general. My own relationship with God has been tested time and again, with my family and with life in general. Having been forced to quit college when I came out was difficult enough, but then I was asked by my family to leave the church of my youth and then the whole eunuch thing with my Grandparents it just left me distrustful of anyone or anything that had to do with organized religion. Thus it is safe to say that I became suspect of nearly everyone who believed in God in general.

Getting to know people who truly practice what Jesus preached is refreshing to me and forces me to question my own phobias and bias. All too often it has been too easy for me to just lump all of the righteous into one group, you and Fran are both living proof that it is not so easy to make that distinction. You both give me great pause to stop and think twice before I jump to conclusions about those who have faith. For that I am ever so grateful and God is too.

Now I'm weeping. When I asked Rick's permission to use his words, I said this to him in my email, "Those of us who call ourselves Christians are witnesses to our faith at all times, for better or for worse." And it's true, and it's good to remember that.

Rick, thank you for your beautiful words. You are a mensch, and I am proud to know you.

Check out Rick's blog. Fran's too, if you have not been there.

The photo is from Fran's Facebook site.