A friend

"Even though we've changed, and we are all finding our place in the world, we all know that when the tears fall or the smile spreads across our face, we'll come to each other because no matter where this crazy world takes us, nothing will ever change so much to the point where we are not all still friends." -anonymous

"The friend who can be silent with us in the moment of confusion or despair, who can stay with us in an hour of grief or bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing...not healing, not curing, that is a friend who cares." - Henri Nouwen

"Are you upset little friend? Have you been lying awake worrying? Well, don't worry...I'm here. The flood waters will recede, the famine will end, the sun will shine tomorrow, and I will always be here to take care of you." -Charlie Brown to Snoopy

I don't know how many of my friends actually read this, but I wanted to write this anyway.

I have a friend, a dear sweet friend who had to move very far away and (as what happens when you grow up and start lives of your own) we began to loose touch. There was never a time where I wanted or intended to loose touch but it just happened. And today I got the most beautiful email from that friend reminding me that no matter how far apart we are we are always apart of eachother's lives and that nothing will ever change that.

I have been blessed. Moving so far from home has not been easy for me. But even as I write this I realize how far home actually is. Home is where the heart is to be sure. But my home is scattered all over the country, and even all over the world. My dearest, most beloved friends have scattered to the four winds. I have friends in Austin, TX Omaha, NE Kansas City, MO Tama, IA Chariton, IA Ames, IA Pierre, SD and even Busan, North Korea. Its crazy to me how when you are little you have your best friend and you swear that you'll never move away and that you'll always live right down the street and that you can always have slumber parties whenever you want. Even when you reach college you feel the same way. And even, EVEN, when you live thousands of miles away from those friends, you still feel like you want to live right down the street from them, and that you can have slumber parties whenever you want. At 25 I feel the same way I did when I was 5 and 15, you have your friends and they are ALWAYS with you.

We are grown ups now. And our lives have taken us to various places and we've had different experiences but once upon a time we were 5, 10, 15, 20... and we promised each other we'd always be there for each other.

I've laughed and cried with each and every one of you and there is no one who could be more dear to me as you.

And no matter how far apart we are I promise I am always here for you. Don't worry, don't be upset. I'll be the Charlie Brown to your Snoopy.

So here is to all my beautiful friends, ones I have known for 20 years and ones I have known for 2. I love you and I am always here for you. Near or far.

Karen, Shannon, Jenna, Helen, Erin, Sarah, Courtney, Kim, Amy...I miss you guys.