Friendships

Today I received a letter from a friend I met at work about eight years ago. My job is really not conducive to getting to know fellow workers. We work in our client's homes, and meet our co-workers at support meetings at the office or on the rare occasions that a client will need more than one of us at a time. Some clients (ie: Alzheimer's) require two workers to one client. That is how I met Fergie. Over the years, we forged a solid friendship, alas, upon her retirement, a little over a year ago she decided to move back to her home town.

She grew up in a small town about four hours north of Windsor. Unlike many people who move home after many years, she is having the 'time of her life'! Her letters are full of her volunteer job, family (she is one of many children), and re-uniting with old friends from her childhood. Today she sent pictures of her with some of her siblings. She is not computer literate, as a result I hear more often from my friends overseas than her! But I welcome receiving her letters, as much as I welcome composing my replies to her. It is nice to receive 'snail mail' and in order to receive you must send!

Some of my friends from overseas, I have known for many more years than her (one 38 years! He used to babysit my oldest son), most were at one time students at the University of Windsor, and moved home after graduation. These are the ones I communicate with via e-mail, and occasional telephone calls. Some of my closest friends are the ones with whom I share my faith. Many of my overseas friends are included in this grouping. We share prayers for each other, our respective families, and countries, and a close bond that cannot be explained, except to say that Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is our greatest Love.

I also have a most cherished friend, a lifelong friend. I only have the one, we grew up together next door to each other, when we met, I was three, and 'Maggie' was two! She says we came out of the womb together, I say not quite, but close enough! As life goes, we grew further apart while we were raising our children, but closer as we grew older. Never far apart, always in touch. We have shared childhood games; in our neighbourhood, we kids liked to play "Spin and Marty", and "Annette"; Walt Disney children's feature from the fifties. First dances, rollerskating, ice skating wounds, cried together over our children, operations, injuries, marriages, family problems, health problems. Shared joys: births, marriages, triumphs and of course, heartaches, taken up defences for each other, and in short it's been her and me against the world! At every turn in the road, we have dissected and talked to death every decision and large and small event in life.

I have discussed this special friendship with many of my other friends, and most say they cannot remember anyone who has been a friend for their whole life like Maggie and me. We both cherish our special friendship, we know each other, and in some ways, are even closer than sisters, although we both have only sisters, and we love them dearly, we have a close relationship, not sisters, but in many ways better!

I am reading a book which quotes Aristotle:
"What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies." I guess that's us!

Have a great weekend, see you Monday,

Phoebe