Friends

Today I spent a little time with some beautiful friends. It was a long work week, and I might have just stayed hunkered down in the quiet seclusion of my easy chair, but invitations were extended, and I try to attend whatever I'm invited to. Somebody thought enough to include me on their list of guests, to invest time in our friendship, that is a privilege. I thought about the many life events I have shared with these friends, that we continue to share, and how much their friendship has meant to me over the years. Friends my age, and our daughters gathered for a time to celebrate a new business venture launched by the young women. As they spoke of hopes for their future, and the life experiences they were sharing, it was apparent that the friendship between them is a beautiful, precious, valuable gift. I remembered myself at their age, the life experiences I shared with my friends, some who were gathered right there in that room, some who were miles away in proximity, but always close at heart. I was genuinely happy for them! They would reach a point in life, like I and their mothers have, where they too would look back to see all that has been shared. Husbands, pregnancies, babies, bills, more babies and bills, dishes, laundry, lunch, dinner, recipes, hair, sales, jobs, what did we not talk about?! We walked at the parks, we played cards at the kitchen table, we took our kids to Kiddieland. We had birthday parties, over the hill parties when we turned 30!, and baby showers. We vacationed at Disney, Mt Dora, camped, and went on "retreats". We worried, and cried, and prayed, over the phone, and on each others shoulders. We celebrated accomplishments, new homes, and goals reached. When one had a new baby, was sick, injured or bereaved, there were cards, and meals, and childcare. We laughed, we shared, we grew to become so closely knit together that we are as one. We have been given by each other, pieces of each other. The known things, and the secret things. Trust and confidence has been proven, and cherished. And now we watch as our daughters begin to piece together, just as we did not so long ago, this beautiful intricate patchwork of events and milestones that will one day tell their story. We didn't know then, and they don't know now, how perfect the imperfections of this imperfect life truly are. They've made us who we are, and brought us to where we are. Together.

Girlfriend

There's a special thing that happens
between women who are friends,
it's a kind of "sisterhood" that
can't be shared with men.
Someone you can talk to
when no one else will hear,
intimate conversing,
hearts open without fear.
When the words don't seem to come,
a simple look will do,
women's intuition, like a knight,
comes shining through.
Undaunted by dilemma,
obstacle or foe,
she knows things about you
no one else will ever know,
and knowing, she loves even more,
this "sister" that she's found,
souls unite, lives are touched,
hearts forever bound.

PJ