Ruth

The biblical meaning to this name is friend. 
I knew of such a person. One who only searched for friendship and love, a girl who taught me a bit more about the meaning of friendship. This girl constantly forgot my name, but she never forgot my face, so I learned to stop reminding her. She made me frustrated bright and early in the morning when she refused to get up, but that quickly turned into a smirk when she finally rose. I rolled my eyes at night when she refused to settle for bed, but when she finally fell asleep I missed the noise. When there was a time for worship I would hold her still as she listened deeply to the sung after promises of our Father, and at dinner we would joke and break bread in community. We were an interesting bunch. We had our share of disagreements, but that turned into bigger hugs and deeper conversation. She always told me something was sore or unwell and this just made me go into denial with myself if I started to feel sick. Oh this darling girl made me smile even when I wanted to cry. Her silly angry bird stuffy always fell on my head and her comb and shampoo bottle always got left on my bunk. When I first met her she seemed to be a very quiet individual, but at the end of our time together, it was more of a lost hope. Her energy was incredible and her heart was so good.

This name is also a book in the Old Testament and within its pages there is a theme of how God's people experience his sovereignty, wisdom and covenant kindness. This young women had so much kindness and love and so did my friend. There lives of course were nothing alike, but the theme I saw in both their spirits is how I made this comparison.

And what made me appreciate my time with her so much more is that after it was over, I never got any word from her. She sort of just disappeared and life tried to overlap my memory of her. I started to forget. I preserve it more and more as I see a friend like her, in others whom I love so much and as I became a true friend to others. Abba blessed this girl with such a kindness and such a love. Two fruits of the Spirit which I treasure so much and I got to see, lived out in one of my precious sisters.