Friends are Special

A friend had a post on FaceBook asking what impact she had on our life. It almost brought tears to my eyes. I am forever grateful to her. Why you might ask?

There I was, the first day of Junior High (now known as Middle School), and once more I was one of the new kids as we had moved yet again. That age is a tough time anyway and being new and a very shy, glasses wearing nerdy looking girl did not make things easier. 

But as I walked into Homeroom a girl walked up to me and said, "Would you like to sit next to me?"

I have never asked her why she was so kind to me that day. But what a ripple in my life that one kind thing made. We were best friends just like that. I spent so much time at her house while we went through teen years that her parents were like my second set of parents. 

So many happy memories together. Her family was originally from England, so I learned to drink lots of hot tea with milk. Fish and big fat chips, marmalade (orange and grapefruit) on toast became part of the meals I ate. We sewed matching bikinis. Sang along to lots of records. Or just sang lots of silly songs together. "I'm Henery the 8th I am... " 

Discovered a variety of music including "Will the Circle Be Unbroken",  A great album set, a great song, with lots of other great songs on it like - Everybody Wants to go to Heaven, but Nobody Wants to Die. Carol King. Beatles, Black Sabbath, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane... 

She had dogs and that really strengthened my love of dogs and animals that I have to this day -- ah my menagerie of animals... lol.

I don't even remember ever feeling embarrassed if I made mistakes, was goofy, or geeky, or whatever. We were just friends through thick and thin. 

Of course we grew up and drifted apart and did not hear from each other for a while. Well maybe a little bit here and there. We live pretty far apart and I am just not a phone person. Social media brought us back together  -- and we've met at her parents house (they still lived in that same one from long ago). When we met, it was like they say, like we'd never stopped having that tight connection. Our lives, families, selves were not perfect, but there is still that love and comfort of being with, having a friend who does accept you exactly as you are. 

So have you had an impact on my life? A big YES to that. No matter where I am I do know that I have this very special friend who has always been there for me. And it brings some grateful tears to my eyes.