Lillie is always the “life of the party”, is not shy around strangers, and gives off her bubbling personality. She rarely appears to be upset in public settings. She is very smart, but sometimes her interest may be on other things and that can create tension with others when some tasks have not been completed as planned. She is many times distracted by puppies or people with issues she fills compelled to solve. Their problems become her problems and her mission becomes to make them feel better.
Ellie, while very pretty, intelligent, talented, and easy to get to know, is shyer than her friend Lillie. Ellie is a loving and caring person that knows her abilities and can excel in just about anything she attempts. She understands her responsibilities and wants to succeed, but is not sure she knows exactly how to get there.
Lillie’s group of friends identify themselves as a minority group that is not well understood by the majority and therefore, not treated in the same manner as others. This is the “glue” that keeps them as a group. Other issues are less important and if discussed at all, the views are “controlled” by the primary cause. The focus of their gatherings is mainly on how their relationships and/or feelings toward others are being treated as not normal. The solution is to show their pride in who they are by adding to their appearance with things like piercings, tattoos, and different hair colorings. These solutions strengthen their bonds and set them apart from others. After all, they cannot control how other people feel about them.
Ellie is happiest when with friends at church and church camps. Her eyes seem to sparkle and her smiles just give you a warm feeling that something special is going on inside. She inspires others and the group just wants to spend more time with her. They share their feelings about God and how they want to serve God. The little kids just want to give her hugs and spend time with her. Ellie thinks about how she can use her talents to lead others to Jesus.
Lillie and Ellie both appear to others as having comfort with who they are and maybe a little too much ego. The truth is that is not the case. Deep down there is a void that they are trying to fill with good feelings and people that do not judge their actions. They just do not know how to get others to accept them “as is”.
Lillie’s friends are not sure that she is really one of them because she does not look the part and still will not participate in all of the activities. Ellie’s friends do not quite know how to accept the changes in appearances and some comments that are made sometimes. Lillie has decided that maybe some of what she has studied for years may not be true and that the new ideas held by many these days may be more real if not different from the views of many in her old circle of friends and family. Ellie loves Lillie and believes she is less likely to get her friends to like Lillie, so she is willing to give Lillie her way and go along with the changes where that takes them.
The solution seems to be to move out into the world on their own and just find their way. Here is the list that Lillie thinks should be on the list of things to do:
Get an apartment
Get a phone
Get a job
Get a way to get to school, work, and back
Get food to eat
Ellie says to Lillie, “should these items be on the list also?”
Get medical insurance
Get lights turned on with someone to co-sign for credit
Get an apartment with someone to co-sign for credit
Get a car with someone to co-sign for credit
Get car insurance with someone to co-sign for credit
Buy gas for car, inspection, registration…
Open bank account and credit cards with someone to co-sign for credit
Lillie tells Ellie that she thought others would help with those items just to be happy to not deal with all of the issues, besides it is going to happen eventually. Ellie says, “I guess so, but are you sure that limb will hold both of us, I don’t really want to make matters worse. This is not the best time to make things more difficult for our family. Can we put a pause on this and try to work through the issues first?”
Lillie and Ellie decide to take some time to look at the issues together to try to understand what is causing the feelings of not being understood. To begin to discuss instead of feeling hurt. To explore facts instead of accepting someone’s views. To have an open mind and not become part of a movement driven by emotions only. Lillie and Ellie decide to seek information from many sources with love in their hearts with an ache for the truth.
Stay tuned for the “Rest of the Story”.
