Family, Friends and This and That

Today we found out that Lisa and Jenny have swine flu....and in a call from Erin, in California, it appears that Spence is pretty sick, too. I guess it's the time. So far, things seem mild and hopefully they will stay that way.

I've recently had the opportunity to reconnect with some old friends through Face Book. It's been enlightening and wonderful. At first, I was just curious about how the person is doing (I haven't seen them in years, usually)...so there's lots of catching up. After awhile, I ran out of things to say...how many times can I ask what the weather is like where they live. How many times can I "like" what they are cooking for dinner. This is the friendship without the commitment.....and then.....once or twice something miraculous happens. For some mysterious reason...there is a connection....a real, honest to God, beautiful connection. It's like throwing away all the wrapping paper at Christmas...and finding in among the disgarded paper and ribbons, the gift that I had waited my entire life for. This connection is with a woman friend...and I also think that's what makes it so incredibly special. Especially reconnecting with someone who has known me since I can remember. We both have a class picture of ourselves in Brownie uniforms. We went through loosing teeth together. We were both the same age when puberty visited....We shared a lot, even if we were not "best friends." We knew each other, we respected each other, without knowing at the time what that meant, and we went on to become different people. It is a comforting, warm blanket feeling...to have someone in my life who "knows" me. Someone who had grown up with me...whether we were a near and dear friends or not...this person KNEW me. Not like my parents or sister...but different. My husband didn't know me when I was a little girl....he didn't see me in high school with all of the insecurities that teenagers haul around...he found the girl who came afterward. This friend, when we had reconnected, has looked beyond the insecurities, the labels we put on each other and ourselves when we're in high school...and we have each discovered and are in the process of celebrating the women whom we became. Talking to each other and each saying the words, "I wish I had known you, really known you back then" makes us smile with a little sadness at the years that were wasted not being able to embrace each other whether face to face or from afar. The cheerleader and the shy girl...who would have known. Spiritually...we "think" alike, even if we haven't verbalized those thoughts in so many words. But reconnecting with this most special woman, makes me know with all my heart, that I knew her when I was a little girl....and more importantly, with all my heart...I believe our spirits knew each other...and were friends...long before we came to earth. She has been the most special gift I've had in a long, long time.