Ruth

Today's blog features Ruth Ann. Not only is it next in the sequence of titles, but she was one of the first people who I saw using Blogger.com, which I am now also using! It also co-features her husband Shannon, who wins the award for "longest-running friendship" in my life. (Excluding family, naturally. I also consider them friends, but they have an unfair edge in this contest, and are thus disqualified.) When I first moved to St. Catharines nearly two decades ago, Shannon was in my sister Dina's class, and also attended our church. I was very shy at the time, so I realize it was one of God's great acts of compassion that moved Shannon to approach me and offer friendship. Shannon seemed to have an aura around him that drew people to him. It amazed me how he always seemed to have people around him. During the next five years, Shannon was to be my closest (and sometimes only) friend, with occasional absences due to frequent moves. Brought together by a mutual interest in computers, books, and arcades, the friendship was a good fit. I have learned many things from Shannon over the years: how to play Risk, that a six-kilometer trek is "just a short jog", and the key importance of coasters, to name a few.

At one point, Shannon moved to Toronto, depriving us of the pleasure of his company. He left his younger siblings in our youth group, (Shane attended my bible study) but it just wasn't the same. One joyous day however, he returned to us, and revealed what could be so important as to justify leaving for a few years: he came back with a wife! After meeting the charming Ruth Ann, I believe the general consensus was that he had made an excellent choice. Not only was she perfect for him (artistic, similar temperment, etc.), but she was also kind, an intelligent conversationalist, and quite willing to play strategy games. Really, what more could one ask for? To be godfather to their bunny? :)