I’ve been thinking a lot about friendship lately. Ev’s had the same best friend since he was 12 years old. Rumor has it they used to plan their lives out together. Live on a cul de sac. Have kids at the same time. The kids would be best friends and every Sunday they’d have dinner together. It’s 30 years later and they got everything but the cul de sac. Pretty amazing actually to see second generation best friends that truly love each other and are somehow connected on the deepest level. It’s been like that always. These two girls are in love. There was no parallel play. There was just Gigi and Emma. For me, for all the parents of these two, it’s special beyond words. We gush over them. We peek in their room and crack up. We hug harder because we know it’s bigger than just us now.
My two best friends live in New York. Of course I have wonderful friends here in Los Angeles, but my childhood best friends forever, are across the ocean. I think about them all the time and long to spend hours chatting away while our kids play together. We know each other inside and out. No judgement, just acceptance, and a serious amount of laughter. The kind that makes you beg for mercy. I miss it in my bones sometimes but it’s something I’ve learned to live with. They live there and I live here. But I miss them everyday. I had another best friend, since I was 12, but she ended our friendship coming up on five years ago. I think about her a lot and wonder if we’ll ever rekindle our friendship. I used to think yes. Now, I’m not so sure. Life is surprising like that.
Recently, I felt that talk all night and laugh till you cry feeling again from a new friendship. A fellow blogger I met online, came out to California with her two amazing children. We met because I stalked her blog for over a year and did everything I could to slowly get her into my life. You never know what meeting face to face will be like, after months of emails and instagram exchanges. From the minute we hugged hello, I knew it was a friendship to last. We’ve only just begun our friendship journey together, but I love knowing that you never know what new friendships are going to come into your life and how they might change you. It’s Monday morning. I’m on vacation for one more week and for some reason feeling nostalgic and thoughtful about friendship. I once heard someone say that some friends come into our lives for a season and some come for a lifetime. I am learning to appreciate both. I pray that my daughter’s have lifelong friendships, and if they have seasonal ones, I hope they love and accept those too. Because friendship, of all kinds, is the best.
this post is choking me up! it’s so sweet…and you are so kind. i love the story about the gigi / emma friendship, planned years ago. i am such a huge proponent of lifelong friends. i try to instill that concept in my kids, especially my girls. because, you know…friendships can have their ups and downs. but i teach them that it’s ok to step back, give space, forgive, start over. there is nothing you’ll be more grateful for in life than an old friend. except maybe making a new / old friend! i feel that way with you meri…we were meant to be! thank you for this….xoxoxo
In yiddish it’s called beshert xo
Oh my. I’m getting a little choked up, too. This is so beautiful, Meri. And it’s so poignant to reflect on your own friendships as you watch those of your kids’ grow.
Thank you so much Jeanette. It’s nice to post about something more personal once in a while. This felt good. Thanks for reading along.
So sweet Meri! I love this post.
Thanks for reading along Meredith. It felt great to write.
So well said Bop! I love you so much your friendship means the world to me..See you in Cabo. xo
xoxoxo
Beautiful Mer! Same wishes for my girls – beautiful, special friendships, soul sisters, support! Nice reminder to be kind, be open, forgive and respect … Ingredients for friendship. Xoxo
Thanks for reading Glenda! So nice to see your name pop up here. Thanks for being a great LA homie xo
Beautiful post and so spot on. I loved reading it!
Thanks Ana!!! It’s fun to step out of the crafty comfort zone once in a while. xo
What a beautifully written post! I’m lucky to have you on my “lifelong friends” list 🙂
Er!!! You’re on my list too (of course!!!) but you’re fam so you know. xoxoxo So happy to see your name here!!!!
I loved this post. Thank you for sharing your heart.
ohh, thank you for reading along Leslie! xoxoxxo
Oh, what I’ve missed while we’ve been away!!! Me, too — can I get so choked up this early in the morning? This is just beautiful — so beautiful!!
We’ve just had a special holiday herein Sweden that left us all (unspoken) wanting to miss our traditional celebrations because they were too soaked with our dear friends who have moved to NYC something deeply. We have celebrated every single “Valborg” together — a relationship deepened by the fact that our sons are best friends from birth — so life long friends — deepened our already long our love for our friends all the more. I’ve been considering about writing about them in some way — and here is it: a beautiful post written so dearly about exactly this (and my a new friend!) — the threads of life are truly humbling if one takes time to observe. To take it to an even deeper level they, in some way, are a link that we share with you now, as they are the reason we will come to LA this summer — giving this amazing opportunity to see you again! My dearest adult friendship lead to a life long friendship for our sons (and children) that’s taking us to a new friend who I connect with every day here. Life is beautiful!! Your beautiful sharing is truly something wonderful!