Well, well. If you know me you might think I have a lot of friends. The truth is... I do. I cherish my friends dearly. I have had some friends since I was 5 years old. Danielle and Shannon have my staple for over 30 years. The ups and the downs. We have endured them together. I have their cell #'s in my phone. I text them when something strikes me in a way that makes me think of them. Sometimes we chat often and sometimes there are long periods of time that pass us by.
Myself, Danielle and Shannon.
8th Grade Graduation.
Life happens in seasons. People come in and out of our lives. Some enter at times when we are on the top of the world. Others when we really don't have much to offer. I have a friend that the onset of our friendship was not good. In fact, it was ugly. Sometimes toxic. Actually we weren't friends at all; we were more like polar opposites. (Well, we still are:) Here's the story:
I met Stacy in 1990. We pledged the same sorority. In many ways we were similar; outgoing extroverts looking for the total college experience. We both held leadership positions. I am a year older, almost to day. Although she is a Taurus and I am a Aries. We seemed to butt heads often. Disagree on almost everything. She was a pain in my #*%. As college wrapped up we both had applied for the same leadership position with our sorority. Out of 100's of applicants, we both were granted an interview for the job. Which was a rarity. Once again we were going up against one another.
Me being the older more mature of the 2 (had to say it), called Stacy up and asked if she would like to share a hotel room close to the airport the night prior to a very early flight. Stunned she said yes. So here we were going for the same job and spending 1 on 1 time together for the first time ever.
It only took about an hour for me to fall head over heals for Stacy. She was so fun. She was so real. And she felt the same way about me. Who'da thunk it? Tootle and Perry. BFF's. That was 20 years ago. -and yes we both got the job.
The point to the story is that not all 1st impressions are lasting impressions. Outside influences can really construe your ability to open your heart to people. Now I am not best friends with all of my friends obviously. That doesn't mean I don't cherish all friendships equally. Have you ever met someone for the first time and felt like you have known them for a lifetime? It is like your souls have drawn you together. Instant connection. Then there are those who it takes time to get to know and then one day you wonder how in the world did I ever dismiss the importance of this friendship.
Doug was the kind of guy who was friends with people that most people could not stand. He would tell me about someone and be caught up in their flaws, but end his sentence with "but you would really like him". I loved that about him. A friend to anyone that needed a friend. It was one of many of his admirable traits. Probably why there were so many that came to honor him. In fact, the night we received friends at the funeral home there was another family having the same event. Someone came up to my sister and asked "did someone famous die?" She replied "yep." He never would of dreamed it.
Don't let time, distance or differences get in the way of
Living Life Out Loud
with friends.
This is Stacy.
I am writing this as she and I are flying home from a trip to NYC.
