Moving along on the career path I
began working with a very sharp cookie named Shamsh. From the first day we met on our project we
had a connection that started out respecting each other’s work talents but soon
we were having morning coffee, oatmeal breakfasts and little chats since we
were both early morning people and were at work “before the official clock”
started. I have always been one to be in
early so that I can organize my time and work but for the first time I began
having a little social time with a lovely colleague.
It wasn’t long before we made
real inroads in our friendship. I loved
to hear her stories about her life in Kenya and how they emigrated to
Canada. I enjoyed hearing about her
children and I empathized with her when her marriage took a turn for the worst. Happily Shamsh also liked reading and soon I
had invited her to join in the book club.
Shamsh was my first “visible”
minority friend since Otranee back in high school although I had some acquaintances who were friends for
a while they were those “friends for a season” people. Now I was enjoying some cultural differences
and identifying similarities while at the same time enjoying a friendship with humour and camraderie. What I find
interesting about Shamsh is that while she is a hard headed business woman she
is also an extremely soft hearted person in relationships. She is Pakistani by way of Kenya and has ways
that to some people may seem a little abrupt but once you understand those cultural
differences (which is easy enough for me to pass over) she is so sweet and
loving and sensitive.
Once again, I am richer for
having such a good and loving friend.
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