Pinky Promise
Friends: synonyms - comrade, chum, crony, confidant
The greatest sweetener of human life is Friendship. To raise this to the highest pitch of enjoyment, is a secret which but few discover. (Joseph Addison)
One of my best friends got married recently. She and her boyfriend husband eloped actually. [I was one of the few people they told.] Since they didn't have a wedding, their families decided to have receptions: one in Alabama for her family and one in Virginia for his. Hers was this past weekend.
For two weeks I stressed over how I was going to get to the reception. It wasn't a matter of money. It was a matter of me having a horrible sense of direction, an almost 4 hour drive and not having anyone to ride with. In the end though, my mom [who my friends call their second mama] was able to make the trip with me. And it was an incredibly rewarding one.
If you've ever been on a road trip, then you know how they have an odd way of turning into a learning experience. I don't mean that as a 'learning a lesson' kind of thing. But you learn things about the people you travel with and sometimes [if you're lucky] you learn things about yourself. This weekend's mini road trip was no exception.
At some point during the trip my mom said something very profound: If you have one or two good friends come to your wedding, you're lucky.
She's so right. Do you guys remember when I talked about things I've learned throughout the course of my life? One of those lessons was that true friends are hard to find and even harder to keep. People find their friend soulmates at different points in their lives - sometimes in high school, others in college, and some later in life. But no matter when you make them, circumstances don't always stand in your favor.
Over time, distances develop and you find yourself physically separated from those people who really get you. Seeing each other every day fades into every other week, once a month and sometimes once or twice a year. Your lives and careers will send you in different directions, but if your friendship is true a little road trip isn't that big of an obstacle.
Do you remember when the pinky promise was sacred? How you and your friends used to pinky promise that you would always be friends, no matter what? Can you back up that promise?
When a friendship reaches the point of no return... well, there's only one chance of redemption. You'll ignore past signs of disappointment and keep your fingers crossed for a happy outcome. Sometimes you'll be pleasantly surprised. Sometimes you won't.
When you come to realize your true friends, count yourself very lucky. Then hold onto them. And hopefully you'll start to realize that the universe isn't just about you.
And then, when you make that pinky promise to be best friends forever, actually keep that promise. Seeing your best friends' happiness on their wedding day is truly one of the greatest rewards you can have in life.
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5 comments
[Like].
ReplyDeleteThis is so true.
Dude, this is some deep stuff. I'm kind of iffy on the whole friends thing though. Few people get me, and even fewer want to "get" me. I guess I'm a freak.
ReplyDeleteI promise, though (pinky promise) that I'll totally come to your wedding one day. And I won't even wear black (even though it's totally a death to your single, free life). :)
@Gnetch: Thank you. I really wrote this one from the heart. This past weekend had a pretty disappointing experience, in that we realized someone who is supposed to be one of our best friends (there should be 4 of us) really only has HER interests in mind.
ReplyDelete@Christina: It wasn't really meant to be deep. Just what I feel. And you'll meet those people!
Awww ILY and am sooo glad ya'll made it down! I was sad when I thought you wouldn't get to come!
ReplyDeleteNice post!Keep it up k..^_^
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