This weekend, I’m reuniting with some pals I’ve had for more than 20 years. If you tried, you couldn’t find a mix of more different women – nor more loyal and loving to each other. Over the years, we’ve stepped into divorce, love, financial disasters, exciting developments, disease, healing, careers, retirements, death and life together. We have always been THERE for each other in the best way we could. Mostly we’ve helped each other remember that everything we need is already inside. Simple, but not easy.
As I prepare for this reunion, I’m celebrating all the people in my life who’ve helped me remember to trust myself and to laugh every single day. Some are blood. One got kicked out of the Brownies with me. Some I’ve known for years. And some are people with whom I’m just learning to share trust. THANKS AND LOVE to you ALL.
What about THOSE kinda friends in YOUR life?
Lisa’s Cheap Therapy blog 
My recent trip home to Elmira ( for the funeral of Peter, my sister Susie’s husband) allowed me to reconnect with one of my best childhood friends, Mimi. When her dad remarried, she unofficially moved into our house to avoid the wicked stepmother. We shared my single bed for months! She became another sister, and when Susuie and Peter were married, Mimi was in the wedding party with our other siblings. I saw Mimi this summer when I visited Susie to help her a bit, and have a chance to see Peter for the last time. Susie was overwhelmed, having a broken dryer to deal with on top of a dying husband! Mimi jumped in to help, taking Susie’s laundry to do until the dryer could be repaired. When Mimi heard that Peter had finally died, she arrived at the house with 4 bottles of wine, saying, ” What can I do?” The reply was to put up “Mary Lou” and however many other family members could make it to Elmira. So, Mark, Emily and I were warmly received into her gracious home, slept under a homemade quilt, our heads on comforting feather pillows, and were treated to a breakfast of English muffins and fresh berries with cream. Such a loving start to the day of the funeral, bolstered our spirits and helped us to see the day as a celebration of Peter’s life. After the funeral we had time to share memories and laugh, and I felt so grateful to have reconnected with Mimi, a woman with a truly genuine , loving and generous spirit.