I wish I remembered more about Kindergarten, for several reasons. The greatest reason is that I would like to remember the first time I met my best friend. We were in class together then, at least that's what they tell us. And I don't even know how we got along back then. But we got separated and didn't reconnect until 9th grade, when we had geometry together... or maybe it was algebra. Of course, we didn't remember one another from so long ago, but I guess something clicked subconsciously because we got along like old friends. And I do remember meeting Danny Stapp for the second-first time.
He sat across the room and kind of kept to his self, not in a shy way, but more like he was bored out of his mind and would rather be watching a movie or playing guitar. I recognized that look because I was the same way. School was the last place I ever wanted to be. But there was something else that I noticed – he was wearing a P.O.D. shirt, which I thought was awesome! A fellow Christian rocker! I decided we should be friends, that is until the next day when he walked in with a Korn shirt. I was so confused. You see, I was sill naïve about music and the fact that some people listen to Christian and secular music. I have since learned, but there were a good 10 minutes there when I thought I had found someone with I needed to share the Gospel. I've gotta bring this poor guy to Jesus; he listens to that devil music! Talk about misjudging a book by its cover. Little did I know how awesome of a believer he already was, and little did I know the spiritual journey we'd carry each other through over the next 12 years and running. There are few other people whom I can say have been through it all with me, but Danny has been like a brother and the best friend a guy can ask for.
So here's to what you find after first, second, and third impressions; to the pleasant surprises that change your life forever until you can't imagine it any other way. Here's to best friends who you can't remember originally meeting, so it's like they've just always been and that's okay.
Danny and I playing one of the many songs we wrote as the band Fluffy Road-kill