Circle of Life

Growing up I was never one to have lots of friends; I had a few very close friends. Today I have a lot of friends, all at varying degrees of closeness. Some are completely in, knowing all of me, seeing the complete woman I am. Others only see parts of me, the parts they need to see.

Last night I chatted with an old childhood friend, she was my best friend in a town I felt totally out of place in. I don't remember how it happened, I simply remember being grateful it did. When you're 12 years old you have no way of imagining what life lies ahead of you; when your 33 years old your amazed you've survived that life!

Today my circle of friends is fantastic and colorful. Some friends are deep in their Christian walk, others wonder if God is real. Some friends have been married longer than I've been alive and others are afraid to marry at all. I've been friends with some of them for years and others only months, each of them brighten my life in their own unique ways and each of them love me deeply.

My daughter turns 13 in a matter of days. She's in 7th grade, the same age I met my oldest best friend. I watched her this morning, getting ready for school, making sure her hair looked just right and her makeup wasn't too much. I just stood there, starring at her; I wonder what life has in store for her, what mistakes she'll make, what joys she'll experience. I felt this wave of familiar come over me, for a brief moment I saw myself.

It's been an amazing adventure, this life I've lead. I'm not the girl I was in so many ways and in other ways...yep, she's still in there. I look forward to the next 33 years...I just hope it's with less tears and more laughter, less heartache and more love and most of all even more friend time!!