Unlikely Friendships

This charming illustration by Joanie Stone is from a story I wrote about the unlikely friendship between a girl and a chameleon and the love they struggle to find for each other.

Today, I’ve been thinking about friendship and love. That gentle feeling you have when someone sees you-and knows exactly what you think and feel about nearly everything, because they think and feel nearly the same.

How we are often drawn to those that have the same opinions, views, and perspectives. Who enjoy the same things we do, and who don’t deviate much from what we believe in. It’s a good thing.

But then I wonder…how sometimes we walk away from those who don’t fill the checklist. How our paths were crossed with someone and perhaps we’ve missed an exquisite opportunity to learn, and grow…and love.

This chameleon came close to deserting the girl in this story. Afterall, she wanted to adventure when he wanted to nap. She preferred cookies (apparently a devote vegan) over grasshoppers for snacks. And if the story was a little longer, we would have learned that she writes super long texts and goes on and on when posting on social media. Not what the chameleon signed up for. At. All.

But 32 pages of exploring and growing help both characters see the value in their differences. And they come to respect, and to eventually… appreciate how it is actually because of their differences that their friendship can grow. Of course, like most children’s books, by the end these two have a strong friendship. They appreciate each other. And they love each other.

It reminds me of the gifts we can receive when we open our fragile hearts a bit wider.

I am pretty sure, even outside of picture books, it is another beautiful way to happy endings.

Where sunsets and moonrises are shared on a warm rock with nice company.

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A Good Thing?

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