Say, Say Oh Playmate, Come Out and Play With Me!

“You meet people who forget you. You forget people you meet. But sometimes you meet those people you can't forget. Those are your 'friends.'” - Anonymous

Today I met up with two friends of mine from WAY BACK! I mean WAY BACK WHEN!

We have all reconnected through the online community of blogging and social networking and today I was lucky enough to be able to meet them for lunch. Not only were we at my all time favorite meeting place - The Macaroni Grill, but although I hadn't seen them in too many years to mention - we immediately fell into comfortable conversation and laughter. In fact, we laughed so much the waitress even commented on the fun we were having. And we did have fun. At least, I know I did.

It always amazes me how we women can be apart for years and yet, immediately we can reconnect and establish avenues for heartfelt conversations in a matter of minutes. We are blessed as women to be able to do this. I fear that the two or three menfolk who read this blog will never be able to relate to this point. I think the men in my life when reconnected with friends would just sit around and talk about cars, or the weather or the economy...and I can honestly say that none of those three subjects even remotely came up today!

I am an only child, ya'll know that by now, and these two girls were the first examples of older sisters I had encountered in my life. For a split second in time, it was possible that they might become sisters to me. How I would have loved to have had them in my life that way...life would for certain never have been dull. I always got along with them, they were and are easy to talk to, laugh with and we are of similar backgrounds, personalities and senses of humor. Sitting with them today was a bit bittersweet...they are the sisters I never got to have, but it thrilled me to realize that our hearts had somehow stayed connected.

I am so blessed to have wonderful women friends in my life. I have a purse full of friends to carry me through rough times, to laugh with me, to share life's experiences with and today, I was reminded once again how wonderful and essential it is to have these kinds of people in my life. It felt good to just sit and laugh, to learn about their lives, to share my life, to revisit long ago memories and share common thoughts and prayers for the future. I have always been one that treasures friendship, the friends I have collected along my life's way are my siblings, they are family to me. I have often felt that I was much more of a giver in the ways of friendship, that many times I was left feeling under appreciated and unrequited in the ways of friendship. It seems in the last few months, I have been able to appreciate a change, I have been able to lean on friends a bit more and see the concern and love I have always given out come flooding back to me...what a blessing to my heart, you who have reached out - will never know how much it has meant...never know!

My day was topped off after such a wonderful lunch with an email from a girlfriend from my elementary school days saying she wants to reconnect this year and meet up after all this time. How fun will that be???

My heart is full tonight, thankful for all my girlfriends. I don't think I could get through this road of life without each and every one of you. You all bring something different and special to the mix, thank you, thank you, thank you for being my friend. You will NEVER know what it means to me. NEVER!

Living Happily In The Moment,
Beverly