Today is the birthday of one of my best friends ever. Pretty Lady and I met when we were sophomores in high school, in Mrs. Kuehne's geometry class. Good times, good times.
Pretty Lady and I have had a rough time of it recently. We're in very different stages of life right now, and it's hard to find common ground. While I wouldn't trade my life for anything, sometimes I'm jealous that she's still single -- she gets to go wherever, whenever. She can have cereal for dinner without worrying that she isn't cooking for her family. She works in what I would call a glamorous job, and gets to make things pretty, while I teach and grade papers and clean up poopy diapers. She's really creative and artsy, and I'm a nerd.
We had a heart-to-heart when she was here last October, and she admitted that sometimes she's jealous of my life, too. She expected to be married and settling down, maybe having kids by now, and she's not.
I've been thinking a lot about our friendship lately. I miss her because we don't talk as much, but what do we really have to talk about? Sure, I'm interested in what's going on in her life, but I have a hard time relating. I miss what used to be, but that same closeness really can't happen right now. We're just in a phase where we can't meet each other's needs because we don't have the same experiences on a day-to-day basis.
I still love her, and I still believe in her, and I still pray for her. I wish I could be there for her, but I don't know the best way to support her because I've not experienced what she's going through.
I do know that I'm not ready to give up on 15 years of friendship. I've come to terms with the fact that we're distant right now. While I'm mourning that we don't have that same closeness, I'm hoping that someday we'll reconvene, so to speak, and be better able to share each other's lives. Then we'll remember this phase when our lives were so different and reminisce together about all the crazy things that have gone on.
So, Pretty Lady, I wish you the very bestest Happy Birthday. I love you.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Happy Birthday!
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1 comment:
I'm glad you and your friend are stil able to keep in touch. It takes more effort when your lives have different paths, but it's such a treasure to connect with someone who knows your past too. I'm trying to keep in contact with old pals, and it's such a challenge!
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