"there is a light that never goes out..." *

Some people have lifelong friends they've known since kindergarten.  We moved around a lot when I was young.  My Dad was in the military and we moved almost every year, or every other year, until I was in middle school and we finally settled in Maryland.  I'm not complaining.  I think moving a lot probably taught me how to make friends easily.  But until we got to Maryland, I guess I was kind of a serial friend...coming in and out of my other little friends lives' before we could really connect.

I met Sara and Ronda when we were 7th graders in middle school.  They knew each other even before then and were kind enough to let me into the friendship.  I'm pretty sure we all had braces at the same time, and I know we spent those tender years of angst exploring music together, boyfriends, and maybe a little peach brandy.   There were adventures in a semi-stolen VW Karmann Ghia, and a small car fire in a VW Bug in front of the entire high school.  There were school dances, parties and a lot of black clothing.  There was supporting each other through break ups and crushes.   There was a lot of hairspray.

These are my (almost) lifelong friends.  Next to my family, they've known me the longest.   We've known each other since before husbands, kids, college and careers.  We knew each other when we were vulnerable insecure teenagers, trying to figure out how we fit in and what we were supposed to think.

We met here last night for dinner.  Sara was in town for work, and Ronda lives in Maryland.   Almost four hours we sat and talked and laughed and reminisced.  We don't get to do that often enough, but when we do its seamless.  The 26 years have landed us each in lots of different places and pursuits. But through the years, we've remained in touch, and still share a love of writing, being outdoors, travel, food, books, family and adventure. 

We're approaching the big 4-0 in 2011.   I think we're all truly content in our lives.  We're lucky, all of us, to have found what makes us happy. And we're lucky to still have each other to share that with. 

Good friends are like stars... you may not always see them, but you always know they are there.

*The Smiths