8/18/11

Hallmark Sorta Friend

When I read Kelle's post, it really got me thinking about my friends. I have been so blessed with friends in my life. When she says, I’ve read enough parenting tips on raising girls to know it’s not recommended that you encourage talk of “best” friends because “best” just gets you into trouble and, like playing ball in the house never ends up good, publicly claiming someone as your “best friend” just sends another girl crying and crossing you off her birthday party list, I totally get that.

The more I thought about it, I decided I have four "best" friends. They were all my besties in a different period of my life, but as phases changed, lives changed, contact changed, they remain my best friends. (This includes only friends, no family, so no feelings should be hurt....Randa)

Erinn Pattillo. Erinn and I were friends early in our lives. In high school, we became inseparable. We shared the experiences of butterfly love, heartbreak, prom, stock shows, and cheerleading together. Our stories are innumerable and mostly hysterical. We shared our first experience of living away from home together, and we learned some of our stories would never be known by anyone but the two of us. I would have never hestitated then to call her my "best" friend, even if it had hurt others feelings, because it was the truth...and, you know, in high school, it's kinda all about you. After her wedding, with five kids and two husbands between us, our lives became a little busy. Thanks to Facebook and email, we are now in touch quite regularly, but have only seen each other once, and that was for the death of a good friend, so not such a joyous reunion. But I know if I needed her or if she needed me, there would be no question about being there. And for that, I am blessed. And for that, she will always be my "best" friend..

Tanya Kiehne. Tanya and I's friendship is purely providential, I am convinced. My high school sweetheart is her cousin. When we met, she was already married with two kiddos, and I was in high school. When Shane wanted to take me there, I was strongly opposed. When Shane was gone, Tanya was there. When high school was gone, Tanya was there. When the next boyfriend was gone, Tanya was there. I was there for her third pregnancy, and she was there for both of mine. Even though our lives have never seemed to run parallel, our hearts and minds do. Even when she had a newborn and I was partying my 21 year-old heart out, I never hesitated to call her in the middle of the night to tell her something funny or to cry on her shoulder. When I was married with newborns and she was running around with teenagers, we seemed to talk a little less. But we always come back to each other when needed or wanted. And because we know too much damaging information about the other, we will always be friends. And for that, I am blessed. And for that, she will always be my "best" friend.

Daneane Jarzombek and Tina Zbytovsky. These two could not be separated, just as our friendships cannot be separated. We all met at Cavendars Boot City, working our way through our 20s. Our bond was pretty instantaneous. We are all so different from the other, yet so much alike. We all went from small-town girls to Austin together. We all went from strangers to sisters together. We have transitioned from the party girls to the working girls together. And although we are all now in different cities, in different jobs, in different circumstances, we are all in touch very regularly. We are there for the ups and for the downs. I truly believe we are soul sisters and BFFs. And for that, I am blessed. And for that, these girls will always be my "best" friends.

These four girls are truly Hallmark sorta friends. I hope I live up to their high standards as their friend. And I hope, as my children grow and evolve, they are even half as blessed as I with the friends in their lives.

No comments:

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...