May 20, 2014

Friends and Priorities...


I'm not sure how it happened.  Julie lives outside Atlanta, and of course I live near Boston.  Once I moved north, it became difficult to see each other.  But we managed.  I worked in Atlanta for a couple years, and seeing Julie was a nice benefit of having to fly every week.  We were in each other's weddings.  We went to Disneyworld for our 30th birthdays.  When I got pregnant the first time, she flew up to visit, bringing me a suitcase full of maternity clothes.  We emailed and called.  And then...

Eight years flew by!  We were both shocked when we realized how long it had been since we had seen each other.  Kids and jobs and school and money and having to travel to visit long-distance family somehow meant that traveling to visit friends became a lower priority.  Every now and then we'd start a conversation about how we needed to plan a trip, and for one reason or another, it didn't happen.  The conversation started back up again in the Fall, as we approached our fortieth birthdays.  We had celebrated 16 together, and 21, and 30...we should really do something for 40.  The conversation wasn't going anywhere, and I finally just said, I'm coming to you!  I am so happy I did.

Julie is my best friend from high school.  I met her in geometry class our freshman year.  Let's just say I helped her through it.  ;-)  We became fast friends and have stayed that way ever since.  There's something so special about friends you make early in life.  Julie knows my family, she knows how I did in school, we worked at the same ice cream shop, we talked about all the big events (first kiss, first loves, first...), we skipped school and went to the beach, we got in trouble together, and we helped each other make it through the hell that high school can be.  We went to different colleges but visited and kept in touch.  A couple years after college, I was her maid of honor.  A few years after that, she was mine.

We spent this past weekend talking.  And talking.  About everything.  Kids, marriage, jobs, home, family, friends...  It was as if no time had passed.  But of course it had, and I don't want to let that much time go by again.  We let the distance between us and the busyness of life keep us apart, and I am determined not to let that happen again.  Friends are the best stuff of life, and it's so important to cherish them.  

Me and Julie at twenty-one...

...and here we are at forty.

4 comments:

  1. Oh gosh, this is just too sweet!

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  2. Hang on hang on - I will get to how lovely it is to read this in a second, but can I first address the photo of you at 17?!! How pretty? I know that makes me sound like my 13 year old daughter commenting on a selfie but...you are so pretty. And you said you never suited not having a fringe (bang/bangs whatever the Americanism is)? I love also the 1990's combo of t-shirt and floral dress over the top. So 'Monica' in Friends circa 1991!

    And on the sentiment - I nodded along; completely agree. Old friends hold us together and I too have the same issue that mine moved to another country and seeing her is becoming increasingly hard. Must try harder...

    Lovely post.
    Lou x

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    Replies
    1. Lou you are so sweet! Of course as I read your comment it suddenly dawned on me that this picture was taken not during Julie's high school graduation (I still had bangs in high school) but her college graduation. Which means we were 21. Oops!

      Thanks for the compliment!

      Delete
  3. such a sweet post. investing time to maintain friendships is always a good thing. i'm so glad made this happen! love!

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