A Mormon, An Atheist, And A Buddhist....

The title sounds like the beginning of a good joke, right?  Actually it's a lesson in life.  Technically I'm not Atheist, I'm Agnostic, and the Mormon and Buddhist?  My two best friends.

What do we three have in common?  We're good moms.  That's important to me when I make friends with someone.  Our kids are close in age and they are two of the best moms I know.  It doesn't matter what race, religion, or ethnicity.

The Mormon:  My Girly-Bird.  She is all girl and doesn't do "boy work".  She has three gorgeous daughters, she's been married to the same guy since time began, very active in her church and believes in taking the responsibility of raising her kids BY HERSELF.  It doesn't take a village; it takes patience, love, and time from a good parent.

She and I love to watch and talk football, even though our teams are rivals and I would normally want to punch someone like her.  She doesn't try to cram her religion in me, she respects me.  We do crafts, share ideas, make fun of the same things, laugh about hypocrisy of those that would make fun of her religion, we like the same shows & movies, and talk on the phone almost every day.  We like the same junk food and neither one of us ever sleep so it helps when you're up all night to have someone to talk to, I've known her for thirteen years and different continents.

The Buddhist:  My N-Kat.  She is a single mom doing anything she can to give her daughter everything possible.  She owns a home, works full time, and is a nurturer by nature.  She is not afraid to get dirty to do it herself, she relies on no one to get the job done right and she's a professional everything.  She's strong-willed, a she-cat when it comes to her beliefs, and hasn't got a clue about football.  We were born three hours apart, different days, she the older, and we are like (personality) twins separated from birth except we were born three thousand miles apart.

She and I drink, smoke, go dancing, and vent the drama in our lives to each other.  We've helped each other through difficult relationships, loss of loved ones, and babysat for each other when it was needed.  Through weight gain, weight loss, and messed up hair styles, we've shared those times with a laugh and a toast. We've cried together, shopped together, and watched our kids learn from each other.  She's been a part of my life for nine years and a day doesn't go by that I don't think of her and wish her the best in everything.

We're all the same age, beautiful in spirit, decisive, made of steel, but look incredibly different.  We act different, talk different, but if you push us, we're like the Charlie's Angels of Motherhood.  We'll kick some serious butt defending our family & friends!

And on the flip side, we can tell each other, "Don't wear that it makes you look fat."  But rather than burn down that person's house for saying that to us, slandering them, starting a hate campaign, we can respond with, "Really?  I need to go change.  Thanks!"

Now if our kids do something wrong, we don't deny it and blame someone else, like most parents these days.  They have to suck it up and do the punishment, but when are kids are in the right, being bullied, or challenged by another, I'm like a rabid wolverine and we'll gang up like a pack of wild dogs.


We're trying to raise our children to be like us, but we're only a few.  Maybe the world could take lessons from the three of us.  It's not your religion that determines who you are and how you should act towards others; it's your character and the world is sorely lacking in some good ones!