An Old Frend New

I'm very fortunate to have good friends since I sometimes am not a very good friend. I'm horrible at keeping up, I can't seem to return a phone call during the same week, and recieving a mailed snail mail letter from me could be a sign of the pending apocalypse. Yet even though most people know this about me they still tend to be friendly towards me and enjoy my companionship from time to time.

This thought comes to mind for two reasons. My oldest best friend from elementary school has been working like a dog to get in touch with me. And finally we chatted via AIM about life and family_and_the fact she's made her own. She emailed me pictures of her and her first child (can you believe it?) and she looks just as beautiful as when I loved her because she could play Barbies real well. She was the first person to introduce me to happiness, bliss, and joy but she was also the first person to introduce me to sorrow, sadness, and mild depression. As with all things I think a little bad has to come with a equal parts good. No one can live a full and complete life without both.

And secondly because while I was sick my best friend Ellie, from much longer than I can count, vehemently searched for me. Online, via the phone, carrier pigeon! Yet, I alluded all her well meaning attempts by pure bad luck on her part or pure sicky-induced sleepiness on my part. Either way she didn't give up. She stuck it out and to her benefit I guess she got to chat with me. (I'm not thinking that's too much of a prize, but she seemed pleased. And then rightly so, questioned me as to WHY I didn't respond to the phone calls or at least the friggin' carrier pigeon.)

So while I try and hide from old friends and sometimes make it incredibly hard for them to find me, they seem to track my scent and chase behind me on train, plane, or internet wire. So to them, those diligent few that I call my best friends, I say thanks for not giving up on me, even after I did.