BARBARA — DAY 10: Workspouse

40 notes to 40 people in 40 days

Friends (left to right) Darlene, Kim, and Emily in a photo from my wedding. (Photo credit: Nylagray Photography)
Friends (left to right) Darlene, Kim, and Emily in a photo from my wedding. (Photo credit: Nylagray Photography)
Continuing on the family theme this week I’ve sent out two notes to two former co-workers who have become the best of friends over the past several years.

I’ve spent much of my time since college working. And most of that “working” time has been spent in an office with other people. Workplace friendships are interesting. Work is a place where you can really get to know people — collaborating on projects, eating lunch together, finding common interests, going out for a drink after work hours. Work has been a place where I’ve met and made some of the most wonderful friends!

When I used to work for the United Methodist Church, I would travel a good deal. And generally travel with coworkers, which meant having coworkers as roommates, too.

It was on one of those trips to Washington D.C. that I got to know Kim. We were not only “roommates” with one another, but shared a large room of bunk beds with about a dozen college students who were on a leadership/social justice education trip. We were “chaperones” in a sense and trekked around D.C. to various historic landmarks like the FDR Memorial and Ben’s Chili Bowl. Kim and I have been friends ever since — some 10 years.

Next — Emily, my “workspouse” for 5 1/2 years and friend for more. We also traveled together for work A LOT. Always roommates. Always eating the same meals at the same hotel restaurants. Once, Emily and I stayed in a college dorm room and the bathroom didn’t have a shower curtain rod. Shower curtain — check. Shower curtain hooks — check. Shower curtain rod??? Nope. We MacGyver-ed the hooks together to hang the curtain from the shower nozzle to a towel rod. We are creative, talented women, no?

It’s Friday, and you’re probably looking forward to the weekend — and a time away from work. Look around you at work or think about the friends you’ve made at work. Say a prayer of thanksgiving for them. I know I’m saying many prayers of gratitude for mine!