Childhood Friends

I have received so much support since Natalie's diagnosis and I am so grateful for that. I have come to cherish and love some of my friends even more because of their support, their hugs, and the understanding and care they have shown me. However, what is it about childhood friends? Last night my best friend from childhood (3rd grade!) reached out to me.  Her family moved to Greece at the end of that school year and I was heartbroken. I tried to find another friend just like her--but no one compared. We found each other again, via Facebook, about 3 years ago and we were so happy to reconnect. Of course, life is busy and we both have children and a husband and work and we live far away from each other. So we haven't kept the communication lines as open as we would like. But after reading her message to me last night I realized that she still holds a very special place in my heart. Her words were like so many that I have read and heard since Natalie was diagnosed. But what was it about that message that impacted me so deeply? 

I stayed up late and wondered all morning. I did some soul searching. You see, the names of our childhood friends are immortalized on the first pages of the book of our lives, as those companions of adventure, shapers of dreams and accomplices of mischief ... In her hands I learned the true meaning of friendship, with every moment that we shared there were so many mutual expressions of affection and tests of loyalty. 

My childhood friend and I.Please excused those socks..Honestly, what was I thinking!

Thank you. I can say that the time we shared during those early years of my life were one of the best chapters that I lived, because you always saw beyond my appearance, trusted and believed in me, You valued me just the was that I was. Impossible to forget the games we played, the running, jumping, bike riding, dancing, dress up, visiting, going for walks, and sharing every day of the year.

You cannot erase the many fantastic stories of horror, laughter and pain, we made up between the two of us, but especially so many dreams we built and we shared. In sickness, in joy and pain, there we were, we made pacts of friendship, to never ever forget the time we spent together even if distance tried to separate us.

And although much time has passed and the roads have taken us in different directions; although each of us has been writing her own story, with new characters that have given us new meaning and recreated our lives ... Although maybe if we met in the street we would find it difficult  to recognize each other because our faces and appearances have changed; nothing that we lived and shared in those childhood years could ever be erased. 

Today, I feel so happy to have reconnected with my childhood friend, because although 30 years have gone by her name has been immortalized in my life. She will always be my best friend, the friend that through her existence, made my life richer and happier ...

Thanks for not ever forgetting me, just as I will never forget you.