Best Friends

When we are in grammar school, we quickly learn that we are only supposed to have one Best Friend. You can have many friends, but it is that one special person that you become best friends with. I threw caution to the wind, and I was lucky enough to find TWO best friends. I'm even more lucky that they like each other, and we've hung out together too.

I met Sarah on the first day of first grade. Of course, we became friends right away. One thing that made us best friends is a decision I made in 5th grade. I was sitting with or near some other girls in the classroom, and I heard them making fun of Sarah for wearing New Kids on the Block stuff. Something made me decide that I would rather be friends with her than with them. I went over and sat next to Sarah, and said something like "I like the New Kids on the Block too". I think that's the point we became best friends. Being her best friend was one of the best decisions I have ever made to this day! She is kind, gentle, loving, caring, and so much more. She has been there for me whenever I needed her for the last 22+ years. I admire her courage, and her inner strength. My son calls her Auntie Sarah, and her son calls me Auntie Gwen. I could not live even one day without her as my friend.

Leslie and her mom, Mary Jane moved into a house that was down the road from my house when I was in grammar school. I guess I first actually met Leslie on the bus at school, but we didn't become friends then. She is a few years older than I am, so you wouldn't necessarily befriend someone that much younger at school. I became friends with her when we attended the same church (*HUGE SHUDDER AND FACIAL TICKS*). We quickly became friends, and I hung out at her house ALL THE TIME! Most of the time it was every day! We weren't as close when she moved out of state, but we kept in contact by phone calls and letters. We got so much closer again after I moved to California, and she moved back home. It figures that we would be very close even though we were on opposite sides of the country. When I moved home, we went back to hanging out all the time. We have similar senses of humor, which is sarchastic and a little offbeat. We always have jokes just between the two of us, and everyone else looks at us like our heads just set on fire. She even screams "Mommy's on FIRE, LOOK AT MOMMY" with me when the gory parts come on during CSI so Azize will look at me instead of the TV. LOL! She also has incredible inner strength and beauty! I can't imagine my life without her!

I admire both of my best friends! Together, they have dragged me through dark periods in my life, and stuck by me through everything! They are the sisters that I never had! I'm blessed to call them my besties friends!!!

Gwen