Loving Mandy

     My relationship with a girl I'll call Mandy has been an unusual one, to be sure. This pint-sized, loudmouth freshman is not the average type of person that I'm apt to befriend. Not to say that I would be unfriendly to her, but generally, our stereotypes do not associate. I, being religious and a model sophomore, m..ight scorn or at least avoid slackers such as her. She, being a slacker, might scorn me for not having any fun. But that's not the way our relationship has ended up.

     At the beginning of the school year, I met Mandy in my Spanish class. Well, perhaps 'met' is the wrong word. It was much more like 'noticed,' for it was hard not to notice her. She talked during class so loudly and with such frequency, the most oblivious of teachers would be in disgrace not to perceive her. She was often told to be quiet by our teacher, and usually responded with an attitude completely devoid of respect. Also, it seemed that every other word to come out of her mouth was a curse. These qualities did nothing to garner my respect.

     When the second semester began, there was placed into effect a new seating chart. Of all people, I was facing Mandy. Inwardly, I groaned at this turn of events. She'd likely talk so much that I wouldn't be able to learn a thing, which was particularly troublesome because I quite enjoy Spanish. Indeed, that first day she carried on a conversation openly about her plans to pass a drug test. I questioned her about the details surrounding this plan, learned where she was applying, and that she was an ardent user of marijuana. The friendliness in her willing responses surprised me. In my experience, most people like Mandy rather dislike me. And so I returned that friendliness.

     As time wore on, I got to know Mandy better and better. She didn't care much for school, and didn't really pay attention, but she was smart enough to pick up quite a bit anyway. She loved to smoke, and her mom didn't mind as long as she didn't do it in the house. She always did it in the house. She was easily angered, with a patience level of about zero. But, in her words, “If you're nice to me, I'll be nice to you.” And thus we became friends. I helped her with Spanish often, since she rarely knew what was going on due to her lack of attentiveness. We talked about things, and she asked me about my life with genuine interest. I occasionally got scolded for talking on her account, and when that happened I would respectfully zip my lips. Mandy never heeded the warnings, and our teacher never really did much about it.

     As the school year is slowly drawing to an end, whenever she sees me she smiles and says hi. She also enjoys describing me with cuss words meant as compliments. She calls me her buddy. I always return her greetings and smiles, and I genuinely like her in return. Whenever people see her with me, or speaking kindly to me, it surprises them. Generally, she isn't the sweetest of people.

     My friendship with Mandy has been one of the more unlikely happenings in my life, and I can't help but wonder just how actively involved God has been in its development. Perhaps He wants me to understand that stereotypes don't define us, and that people, no matter how badly they behave, are all capable of love and have good inside them. Maybe He wants Mandy to see Christ in me. Maybe there's more to it than that, things I just can't see right now. In any case, I am thankful for having had the opportunity to get to know this girl, one so treasured by God. I hope and pray that one day she may know Jesus for herself.

     There's a possibility that she won't be coming back to my school next year. If that ends up being the case, I can honestly say that I'll miss her. Yo amo que chica con el amor de Dios.

     Update: I wrote this piece perhaps a month ago, and haven't gotten around to publishing it until now.  Something I have realized is that my relationship with Mandy is part of a greater trend in my spiritual walk with God.  He has been opening my eyes to really see people, to see how beautiful and treasured each one is, and is opening up my heart to really love them in a way I haven't been.  For this, I can take no credit.  But I will praise God as He continues to work in me and through me, shaping me with His incredible love, the way He wants to with each of us.  God bless you guys!