How It Should Be

Hey, friend, it's been awhile, . . .

Everyone needs this.

There's a part of us that longs for it:

The relationship,

The togetherness,

The love of a friend.

Hey, friend, it's been awhile,

But it's great to see your smile.

I've missed our inside jokes

And all our crazy hopes.

When we are away from this, we miss it.

It carves a hole in us.

Where we were full, we become empty.

Being near to my friends reminds me of how important friendship is,

How precious friendship is.

It's such a great way

To spend a couple of days:

Hanging out with my friend,

I wish this fun would never end.

I've had the opportunity to spend some time with my two best friends over the last couple of weeks.

This has filled me with joy . . .

And caused me to reflect on our six (almost seven!) years of friendship.

You're the one that I can call

In the middle of the night,

When my world is crashing down

You can make it seem alright

For awhile.

Ever since my first day when I asked to sit by them in the auditorium . . .

And then they asked me to sit by them at lunch . . .

We've been friends.

A couple of months later, we would all agree that we were best friends.

“Best friends forever.”

Through the best and through the worst days,

You know I'm there for you.

When you're down I am your lifeline,

You know I'll do anything to

Make you smile.

I still have the containers of “hair paint” that we used to put temporary highlights in our hair.

The purple one was a gift . . .

Which all three of us used.

I think we even had purple in our hair when we went to church together that Sunday . . .

We did some weird things way back then.

That isn't the only evidence of our friendship that can be found.

I still have many of the other gifts they've given me.

(Actually, I probably have all of them – and the cards, too – , I just don't know where all of them are. . . . Oops.)

I have a photo frame with a picture of two of us in formal dresses at a school event last year.

The frame says “Friends”.

There is an engraving under the photo:

Mary,

You're my B.F.F.

I have a wall decoration the other one gave me.

It's still in the packaging . . .

Because I want it to stay looking nice until I have my own house . . . or apartment . . . or something . . . and can display it in a prominent place on the wall . . .

Maybe above my keyboard.

When I got my driver's license, they both got me wallets for my birthday.

Unfortunately, I could only use one at a time . . .

So I used the one that fit in my pocket, . . .

But I still have both of them.

(In case you can't tell, my best friends know what I like a little too well – the wallets are very similar.)

I've also collected various friendship necklaces over the years.

I have three “best”s, one “friend”, one “friends”, and one “forever”.

Since I'm not a very big fan of necklaces, I don't wear them very much . . .

Or ever . . .

But I keep them because our friendship is important to me.

As I visit with these special people who mean so much to me, I realize how long it's been.

It seems like a year

Since I last came here.

With as long as I've been gone,

I feel like I've come home.

We've all been so busy.

Now that we have the opportunity to spend time together again, we hug and speak of how much we've missed each other.

We share stories of what's been happening in our lives . . .

Of work . . .

And other friends . . .

And (yes, there have been one or two about) boys.

We sit and watch TV . . .

Or look at different websites . . .

Or waste more hours of our lives on the Lord of the Rings game we've been trying to defeat for a couple of years now . . .

Or just do nothing.

After all, it doesn't really matter what we do.

What matters is that we are doing it together.

All I wanna do

Is just spend some time with you,

'Cause we are closer than twins,

Even though we are just friends.

It's so good to have these friends.

I know I can count on them, no matter what.

(In fact, one of them recently helped me out so that I could get something done . . .

And the other promised to write a biography for me.)

I know that they are always there when I need them.

(Like when I'm frustrated and feel that I have to talk to someone, so I grab the phone and dial.)

I am always there when they need me.

(Like when I call and ask what's up and bear witness to the stories, encouraging in whatever way I can, and silently – or verbally, if necessary – promising to continue to be there.)

Where would I be without this?

You're the one that I can call

In the middle of the night,

When my world is crashing down

You can make it seem alright

For awhile.

Through the best and through the worst days,

You know I'm there for you.

When you're down I am your lifeline,

You know I'll do anything to

Make you smile.

Last year, I spent some time with one of my friends.

It had been a long time since I'd had the opportunity to really talk to and visit with her.

I had started writing music again.

She was writing stories.

We sat and watched and created.

I wrote about friendship, . . .

How good it is to be with a friend, . . .

How good it is to have friends that are there for you, . . .

How good it is to be there for a friend.

When we finished, we swapped, we read, and we shared feedback.

That's another part of friendship: honesty.

It's so good to have people who will read the words I constantly shove under their faces . . .

And never complain . . .

And always give me their honest opinions.

Through good and bad you're my best friend,

You're always honest with me.

I never want this to end

'Cause this is how it should be.

Thank You for friendship.

Thank You for the amazing friends You've blessed me with.

Thank you to mis mejores amigas for always being there . . . no matter what.

I'm here for you,

You're here for me.

This is how

It should be.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

How It Should Be

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