Friendship

Preschool

“Don’t tell her I’m stuck. Ask her to come outside and see how high I’ve climbed.” My sense of adventure was smacked in the face by reality. Jumping wasn’t an option. I gripped the branch while I waited for my friend, Ann, to run and get my grandmom.

Elementary

Greg, my football, wiffle ball, D&D, Risk, playing friend was a foot shorter than me. We came up with the perfect Halloween costume. He climbed on my shoulders, draped an overcoat around us and put on a creepy old man mask. No one knew who we were. That was my favorite childhood Halloween!

High School

Cruising was the thing to do in our small Pennsylvania town. After one day of training on how to drive a stick shift, I picked up Beth, Lynn, and Kim and we went cruising. All I remember from that night was all the shrieking and my panic when a Corvette pulled up behind us at a stop sign on a hill! Lucky for him my dad was a great teacher.

NYC

“Stomp, hop, step, fla lap, ball change,” Laughter! My incredibly talented singer and dancer, roommate, Leslie, patiently tried to teach me how to tap dance in the kitchen of our tiny NYC apartment.

Los Angeles

We had little money, we worked a lot, but in the evenings we’d chill in the living room, sip ice-tea (because we were underage) and chat for hours while listening to Queen or 10,000 Maniacs. Beth, my great friend from E-town, tackled LA with me.

Sitting on a bench in the lobby of an apartment building waiting to be interviewed, a blonde strides off the elevator. His energy and his smile filled the room. He says hello to the woman mopping the floor then he looks at me and says, “Hi!” I got the job, moved into the building, and a few weeks later found myself playing computer golf with the man of my dreams. Twenty-nine years later he’s still my best friend.

Cape Coral

“Can you tell me if there’s a post office nearby?” My friend Elena had just moved to Cape Coral. Thank goodness because she brought together a group of parents that shared, birthday parties, Biddy Basketball, Tee-ball, summer excursions to the zoo, Busch Gardens and museums, holiday parties, women’s weekends away, band, proms, and eventually high school and college graduations. Our children who are now in their twenties still refer to our group as “The Playgroup.”

I’ve been blessed with great friends my entire life. Back when I was in high school and early adulthood I didn’t realize how important it was to be a friend, to have friends. Then in 2003 when our playgroup supported our family through a challenging time, my eyes were open to the meaning of friendship. Having people there for us willing to listen, willing to help, encouraging all of us and surrounding us in love taught me the value of friendship.