Some people are lucky enough to be born with a sister that is their best friend. Not us. My very dearest friend and I both were born into families where we are the only girls. I think of her as the sister of my heart.
We met in sixth grade (oh man, 25 years ago- yikes), and were natural rivals. I was quiet, shy and afraid of my own shadow. She was loud, outspoken and exhuberant.
We were destined to be friends. Not until we both became friends with the same girls in a crowd did we learn to tolerate each other. At some point, we realized we actually liked each other.
My friend knows me better than most people in my life- and certainly longer. We have such an honest, no worries, I-got-your-back kind of relationship. It's never about who called last, how much time has past or who is doing what in life. We share humor, love of family, similar backgrounds and similar values (although never political beliefs~ I still can't believe she doesn't see it my way! :) ...
We share religion. We share a few friends still in common. We share caring about each other. We laugh. We've cried- but we both like laughing more. We share having the kind of honesty that we don't ever have to worry about editting what we say to each other. We just say it. If it comes out wrong, we laugh. If someone's feelings get hurt, we just say that- and then apologize- and then it's done.
Our friendship is one of my greatest treasures.
She scares the hell out of me, because she keeps having these funky medical problems that flirt with life and death. She goes in for yet another surgery today. It kills me that she'll be far away and I won't be able to see her in person afterward. I know she's going to be fine, because every three years or so she goes into a fresh, freakish medical crisis just to scare the crap out of all of us. It's just her thing.
My life has so much more, well, life with her in it. I wouldn't be me without her.
I don't mean to drag drama into this. I just mean to say I love my sister friend. I'm feeling especially sentimental and figured I'd write out how I feel. maybe I'll print this out for her.
Of course, she'll tease me mercilessly.
But, she knows I'm overly sentimental. And although she'd never admit it- she'd like it, too.
The bracelet is a silver bangle I bought when she scared me but good last time. i bought one for her in gold. I told her that even though I couldn't be with her in person every day, (she had to go and move up north!) she'd know I was wearing mine and that I'd be thinking of her. The Claddaugh is an Irish tradition- to give to someone you love that is separated from you. The hands represent friendship, the crown is for loyalty, and the heart is for love. Since we're both Irish (and hey, even if she wan't) it's just so fitting. So today I'll be wearing my Claddaugh.
