Friends

I received this in an email many years ago and it's one that has stuck with me. I've been thinking about it lately--probably because I am very thankful for the friends in my life. When I look at my friends, they're quite the diverse group.....some I'm really close to , some not as close, some from school days, some from work, some from neighborhoods, some from activities, some came thru the children and then some that are nothing short of a gift from God--the ones you can't really explain how you became friends but you are and they're the type of friend that sticks with you thru it all. It may be a diverse group but I never cease to be amazed at how each one adds to or blesses my life. I am thankful for all my friends....the close and the not as close--they're all valuable to me.
Here's the email that started this train of thought.....definitely a keeper.

20 minutes or 20 years

When I was little, I used to believe in the concept of one best friend,
and then I started to become a woman. And then I found out that if you
allow your heart to open up, God would show you the best in many friends.
One friend's best is needed when you're going through things with your
children. Another friend's best is needed when you're going through things
with your mamma. Another when you want to shop, share, heal, hurt, joke,
or just be. One friend will say let's pray together, another let's cry
together, Another let's fight together, another let's walk away together.

One friend will meet your spiritual need, another your shoe fetish,
Another your love for movies, another will be with you in your season of
confusion, another will be your clarifier, another the wind beneath your
wings. But whatever their assignment in your life, on whatever the
occasion, on whatever the day, or wherever you need them to meet you with
their gym shoes on and hair pulled back or to hold you back from making a
complete fool of yourself ... those are your friends.

It may all be wrapped up in one woman, but for many it's wrapped up in
several ... one from 7th grade, several from high school, several from
the college years, a couple from old jobs, several from church, on some
days your mother, on others your sisters, and on some days it's the one
that you needed just for that day or week... that you needed someone with
a fresh perspective, or the one who didn't know all your baggage, or the
one who would just listen without judging....those are good best friends.

I thank my girlfriends, those who honor intimacy, those who hold trust,
and those who hold me up when life is just too heavy. The special bond we
share is unique. Thanks for the words we've shared.... . the prayers we've
sent up. The laughs, the tears, the phone calls, the emails, the shopping,
the movies, the lunches, the dinners, the talking, talking, talking and
the listening, listening, listening.
So whether you've been there 20 minutes or 20 years, I appreciate you!

Love, Tricia