The patience of Job!

Those of you who know me also know that I tend to be a tad bit of a know it all and have a bit of an abrasive personality.  I am a fairly intelligent woman and I want to win.  I keep track of my score on Jeopardy! right up to the moment I fall asleep.  I love to play Scrabble and therein is the source of this blog.

My friend, Anthony was almost my polar opposite.  He was quiet and also very intelligent.  Our favorite thing was playing Scrabble with friends.  I found a game on Amazon called Boggle which could be played alone or as competition.  We made our own rules.  Boggle consists of 16 cubes with letters on all four sides.  We flipped it out on the table and then each one of us took turns making a word and fitting in into a grid with the words made before.  We could only use the letters that were showing on top.  Sort of like a crossword puzzle when it was finished.  The last one to make a word won.  Simple and fun.

Anthony always set quietly while I found my word and played.  He was the most patient man I have ever known.  The last Sunday is the one I remember.  We played; he won.  We played; I won.  On the last game it was his turn and I could see a very obvious word.  I could barely contain myself as I watched him searching the letters. I knew if he seen it, the game would be over.  He looked up at me in my agitated state and said very quietly, "It is my turn."  Yes it was and I watched as he chose the word and beat me!  But that was my Anthony!  

He never gloated over a victory and neither did I.  We were two very good friends enjoying a competition.  I respected his mind as he respected mine.  I find that very rare in a man, but usually it is a sign that he is comfortable in his own skin.  I liked that about him.

He was patient with me.  He was always kind.  Sometimes he was opinionated when we were talking about life, but always he listened.  He did not want anyone to take advantage of me and was quick to point out to me, if he thought that was happening.  While he never met my whole family, he knew who they were.  He loved his family, but sometimes he was sad and missed the ones who were no longer here.  I understood that.

My life has two parts now; before Anthony and after Anthony.  The pain of losing him gets easier every day, but not really.  There is a hole in my heart that can never be filled.  And I would not want it to change.  I will always see those beautiful brown eyes looking at me and hear his soft voice saying 

"It is my turn."