Friends: The Real Gold

My friend Gail sent me a link to the following, and in many ways it defines our friendship.

1. When you are sad --I will jump on the person who made
you sad like a spider monkey jacked up on Mountain Dew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2. When you are blue -- I will try to dislodge whatever
is choking you.

3. When you smile -- I will know you are plotting
something that I must be involved in.

4. When you're scared -- we will high tail it out of
here.

5. When you are worried -- I will tell you horrible
stories about how much worse it could be until you quit whining, ya big
baby!!!!

6. When you are confused -- I will use little words.

7. When you are sick --Stay away from me until you are
well again. I don't want whatever you have.

8. When you fall -- I'll pick you up and dust you off.

9. This is my oath...I pledge it to the end. 'Why?' you
may ask -- because you are my FRIEND!

Gail and I have been friends since we were 12. It person years, we've been friends for over 45 years. And not just friends, but "best friends".

The way we met was a little strange. When I was in seventh grade, my family moved to a small town where my mother's family was from. I knew a few people. I have TONS of cousins, and I ended up going to school with many of them for six years, so I wasn't a complete "new kid" in school. Before we moved, a friend from grade school visited the town with me one weekend. She knew Gail from Campfire Girls, and we stopped by Gail's house so Pam could say hi. It wasn't long that the final made the move was made and, because we'd met each other earlier, Gail and I became friends.

Forty-five years is a long time. We know each other well. Sometimes, too well. :) We've shared giggles and tears and everything in between, making more memories than can fit in my head. Her youngest son is the same age as my next-to-oldest daughter and were in the same class in school. There was a time when we weren't in contact much with each other, when we both had young children and spent most of our time raising them, but when we did talk on the phone, it was as if only a day or two had passed by, instead of several months.

We're not alike. We each have our own strengths and weaknesses, our own dreams and fears. But we're always there for each other, no matter what. I suspect we always will be. It's too late to change friends now. :)

I've included the only photo I can find of the two of us together. How very strange, after all this time. The picture was taken almost 15 years ago at our 25-year Class Reunion, when we still had some youth left in us. I'll be sharing some stories here on our past and present. I'd love to hear about your friends too!