Different Form

I saw my best friend in a different form. What a realization I had today. Living in Vietnam, I met Carter, who I now call a friend. We met two weeks ago, but his impact on me has been significant. He’s Haitian just like me. It turns out we’re from the same place in Haiti. We were both raised in the U.S., but we both know our roots. After Carter told me his heritage, I could see it right away. But something was different about him. He didn’t just look Haitian, he looked like somebody I knew. A few weeks went by and I would say this to my wife, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on who he looked liked. Carter and I went running today and I learned his nickname is Junior. Before moving to the U.S. from Haiti, I had a best friend named Junior. And these two look just alike.

A deja vu moment if you may. Carter was my best friend in a different form. As a child in Haiti, I was with Junior all the time. He was my best friend and mentor. He was a little older than me as well, just like Carter. And he was always there for me, guiding me through life. Right before I learned of Carter’s nickname, he was encouraging me. I expressed to him how lately I’ve had difficulty balancing priorities. I also went into how I’ve felt pressure and that I’ve felt insecure. He told me his story which shed light on mine. He told me that God has a plan for me, and that that’s who I should lean on. He let me know I’m a star that continues to shine. This was a great friend and mentor. Junior was written all over him.

Life has a funny way of connecting things. Junior was my best friend in Haiti. And these past few weeks, Carter has been one of the best friends I’ve made in Vietnam. Today we’re going to celebrate his last day in the country. I haven’t seen Junior in a long time, but Carter and Junior are a lot alike.