Friends

"Do not save your loving speeches

For your friends till they are dead;

Do not write them on their tombstones,

Speak them rather now instead.

- Anna Cummins

There are levels of friendship.  You have those friends that you are acquainted with, that you know their name and a little about them, but you probably wouldn't ask them to your party.  Then, there are the friends that you are fond of and would definitely ask to your party, but probably wouldn't go on vacation with.  Next, you have the friends you would definitely go on vacation with, but probably wouldn't call if you only had four tickets to a Broadway show in New York City.  That takes us to those friends that you would most assuredly  call to hand the other three tickets to, but you wouldn't let them in on your most intimate times.  No, those times are saved for your best friends.   


If you have close friends consider yourself completely blessed. They are the roots to your tree, therefore they keep you grounded.  


Tiffany and I have a relationship that is outside any friendship we have ever had.  Even though she is over ten years my junior, we are the best of friends.  Many times the question is asked if we are sisters and sometimes we simply say, yes.  My husband and I have known her husband and his family for 16 years and when he brought her home, and said this girl is the one, I was hooked.  So, she and I just simply believe we are sisters. 

We have gone through a lot together.  We have a relationship that is deeply intertwined and woven together.  In our friendship you will find 
sacrifice, unconditional love, and complete trust.  We have fought, traveled, cried, cooked, worked, played, and dreamed together. Crazy acts have occurred, that are far too embarrassing to mention, that have dubbed us "Lucy and Ethel". We have laughed until we have wet our pants, laid in bed and watched movies when we were sick, and challenged each other in our spiritual growth.  We have thrown surprise parties                                                                         
and showers in each others honor. Holidays and traditions, keys to our homes, food, money, cars and whatever else we have are shared.  Sleep overs happen when our husbands are gone, so we are safe.  We have inside jokes, and nicknames, and funny little symbols that no one gets.  We have our songs we sing, and she loves me enough to endure me trying to harmonize with her beautiful voice.  I was there when she said "I do" and there, holding her hand when her first child was born.  And, the day I heard, "It is malignant", she was sitting right there, because something told her to come, even though I had told her, "No, you don't need to come to the biopsy because I won't know results for three days."  

She knew.  


So, now it is added..we have mourned together.


There are still so many more adventures to take, and songs to sing, and days to live, and losses to mourn.  And, we will, fully...my Tiff and I.