I’d like to write something of my own on this subject, and I probably will write more later. But I recently heard a poem that says a lot. I loved it, and wanted to share it with you. I tried to find the title and the author, but I’ve not been successful.

© Verity Johnson | Dreamstime.com

When I was little, I used to believe in the concept of one best friend, and then I started to become a woman. And then I found out that if you allow your heart to open up, you will be shown the best, in many friends. 

One friend is needed when you’re going through things with your partner. Another friend is needed when you’re going through things with your parents. Another will sit beside you in the bleachers as you delight in your children and their activities. Another when you want to shop, share, heal, hurt, joke, or just be. 

One friend will say, ‘Let’s cry together,’ another, ‘Let’s fight together, ‘ another, ‘Let’s walk away together!’ One friend will meet your spiritual need, another your shoe fetish, another your love for movies, another will be with you in your season of confusion, another will be your clarifier, another the wind beneath your wings.

© lusi | stock.xchng

But whatever their assignment in your life, on whatever the occasion, on whatever the day, or wherever you need them to meet you with their gym shoes on and hair pulled back, or to hold you back from making a complete fool of yourself … those are your best friends. It may all be wrapped up in one woman, but for many, it’s wrapped up in several… one from 6th grade, one from high school, some from the college years, a couple from old jobs, on some days your mother, on some days your neighbour, on others, your sisters, cousins, and on some days, your daughters. 

There comes a point in your life when you realize who matters, who never did, who won’t anymore, and who always will. So don’t worry about people from your past, there’s a reason why! they didn’t make it to your future.   

So whether you’ve been a friend for 20 minutes or 20+ years, thank you for being in my life, for being a friend, for being one of my many ‘best’ friends!