Friends

Does that title instantly bring to mind the theme song of the ever popular 90's hit television sitcom, Friends? Or is that only what happens in my mind?! As soon as I typed out the word Friends I instantly began humming the song...

I'll be there for you, when the rain starts to pour

I'll be there for you, like I've been there before

I'll be there for you, cause you're there for me too...

I loved that show! I remember not missing an episode! Rachel, Monica & Phoebe... Joey, Chandler & Ross... There was great camaraderie between them. I know, I know, it was a television show. It was scripted. They were characters in front of a camera. However, their friendships with each other were envy worthy. They were there for each other (here comes the theme song again). They laughed together. They cried together. They loved each other...good & bad. They were authentic.

No one could ever know me., no one could ever see me.

Seems like your the only one who knows what it's like to be me.

Someone to face the day with, make it through all the rest with.

Someone I'll always laugh with, even at my worst I'm best with you.

We begin making friends early in life. We have childhood friends. As we grow older we learn to cherish such friends. Those childhood friends know you...I mean, really know you. I feel that at this point in life you are quite uninhibited. You don't know yet to hide things. You are just, well, YOU! It's not until we grow older that we learn what to hide & what to let others in on.

My childhood best friend was just that...the best! She was a year older than me. We were inseparable from the time I was in 5th grade until high school. I remember sitting at the kitchen bar at my parents house & talking on the phone for hours (completely embarrassing because I was there in front of everyone...where was the privacy!??!). We spent the night at each other's houses. We had matching shirts (haha!!). When we finally got our drivers licenses we cruised through town...down Navarro (the "main drag") into Sonic (a large fruit punch, please) or Uncle Mutt's (Dr. Pepper with good ice). Next stop was HEB for some blueberry bagels. Then we drove the streets of Victoria. There were no secrets between us. She was my BFF. Then life happened. College came. College went. Jobs. Different cities. Weddings. Babies. Just life. Thankfully, though, we are able to keep in touch via facebook. It's almost like having a sneak peek inside her life now! I am sure that if we were to spend a weekend together we wouldn't miss a beat. I know for certain that everything would fall back into place because of the strong friendship we shared all those years.

There have been more friendships like that in my life. I think of my sweet friend, Laura Lee. There are many words that I can use to describe this friendship. Laura Lee was 8 years older than me. It was more of a big sister/little sister relationship...in fact, that is exactly what she called me...her little sister. Laura Lee was a staffer at a camp I grew up going to. When I was old enough to follow in her footsteps, I was a staffer & she was our staffer trainer! It was as if our friendship came full circle. We lived in different towns & were in different stages of life. We visited. We went to camp together several summers in a row. We wrote. We emailed. We talked on the phone. She was there & I could always count on that fact. Unfortunately, my friendship with Laura Lee came to an unexpected halt when she went to be with the Lord 2 years ago. I wasn't ready to let go of that friendship. I miss her terribly...to this very day. I look forward to the day when we can pick up right where we left off in Heaven!

Then there is Sam. Good ol' Sam!! We met in college...freshman year, I think. We eventually became roomies & boy, are there some fun memories from that year! Sam lives 2 hours away. We "see" each other on facebook & have been able to visit each other a few times over the last few years. I know for a fact we would be able to pick up right where we left off...preferably over a large bowl of Creamy Jalapeno from Chuy's!! :)

As I have gotten older, I have realized that making friends like the 3 I have mentioned above isn't as easy. It's hard to open yourself up & let someone see who you are...the good you, as well as the bad you. Vulnerability is tough. What if they don't like me? What if we don't agree? What if I do something she doesn't like or worse, what if she does something I don't like? What if I say the wrong thing? Gosh, it's hard to make friends. Is it just me? Never mind, don't answer that!! However, we were meant for that. We were made to live in community. We need other people in our lives to help us through our lives. That's how God meant for it to be. God has given me some great, fun friendships over the years. Some closer than others. Some lasting only a short time, yet others are ongoing. Just recently I have made some great, new friends and I have also had the opportunity to pick back up on some friendships created years ago. For that I am thankful! I pray that He will continue to provide friends who will love me for me & help encourage me to be a better woman, wife & mother. I pray that God also gives me the opportunity to be that friend to someone else.

A friend loves at all times... ~Proverbs 17:17...