She is one of the most treasured individuals I have in my life. She is a part of my soul. We didn't grow up together and we haven't been friends since kindergarten. We don't have many of those memories that solidify most childhood friendships. In fact, we met as freshmen in high school and were casual friends. Not truly becoming close until our senior year when circumstances for both of us had changed and we were fortunate to find something in each other.
She was with me the night I met the Mister. She was my maid of honor at my wedding and there when both my girls were born. She held my hand in silence when the Monkey was in NICU. I had the honor of planning her wedding and over the past 15 years we've created some pretty great memories.
But today, as I watched her walk down the aisle at her grandmother's funeral, composed like she is a good majority of the time, my heart broke for her. She has a way of handling life's situations with such grace and as I watched her walk up that aisle I was reminded of why she is one of my forever friends. She is that which I am not and somewhere in our years together we have found something that has a deep love, an understanding, a mutual respect, and a dependability that is priceless.
And then she looked up and saw me and her tears began to flow. It felt like forever for her to close that last five feet in the processional to reach me. When she did we hugged and held up the line a little and then she waited for me to grab my things from the pew because we weren't letting go of each other's hands. In that moment, hanging onto one another was way more important than the fact it wasn't my turn to get up or that we may have been slowing things down a bit. She still stood there waiting. And as we walked out of that church with our arms entwined and clasping hands telling one another that we loved each other, I was thankful for that brief moment that I could be there for her.
For this is what our friendship will always be about. As we grow older, we share less of the day to day. In fact, I haven't seen her in person since January. But in the moments that count, we always have each other. And that is so much more important than the day in and day outs that I share with many others. Because regardless of missed play dates, random conversations, and miscellaneous texts, neither time nor distance will change the love that I have for the sister of my soul.
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