Rose

I consider myself lucky because I'm friends with phenomenally successful people. One became the world's best eye surgeon. Another was a currency trader who made millions for his company. One is on the path to cure HIV and/or cancer in his research. Another was my mentor who served thousands of students and hundreds of clients as a labor arbitrator.

Of all of my friends the most successfully underated friend is Rose. I first met Rose in 1996. She is amazingly talented but was given a secretarial job. She transferred and eventually found a boss who recognized her talents (and was not threatened by them.) She's now part of the project to get the city of Dubuque to instant-read meters. Beyond that, she's helping the citizens of a city who have an old world way of viewing their bills understand that the new way is better. "So why did you have 5000 gallons going out for 7 days?"

There are few people (or family or friends, for that matter) that I feel the way I do about Rose. She has stuck by me even though in the depths of depression years ago I blew her off.

I carry incredible guilt and she's still my friend.

Once again, Rose thinks she has a boring life with 2 sons in college and 2 sons recently graduated from college. I know her husband and her sons. She's an amazing blessed person. I will never be as blessed as her, but I'm happy she counts me as a friend.