Two Friends.

Two of my three closest female friends have the same first name. These two women have never met each other. Recently, both of them have been dealing with heartache and hard times.

My first friend and I have been friends for nearly forty years. We met when we both first came to college. She was extremely intelligent and had skipped two grades in school, so she was barely 16 when she started college. Her family lived in town and they always treated me like their fourth daughter. Because my friend now lives in a distant part of the state, we do not see each other except when she comes to visit her family. This week she is in town because her father died and his service is tomorrow. He had been very ill for several years, so his death was a relief from his suffering. Nevertheless, his passing has left a tremendous void for all of us in my other family.

My second friend and I have been close for nearly twenty years. We first met through running and used to run together nearly every weekday morning at 5 am. We would talk and talk about nearly everything. During those runs, we have shared our heartaches and disappointments. She knows more about me than nearly anyone else and was always there for me when I needed someone. She and her husband were married on the same date as my husband and I, only ten years later. They had their three children late in life. Unfortunately, they are now in the process of being divorced and it has become nasty. My heart aches for her because she had tried everything to salvage the marriage for the sake of their children.

Recent events with these two friends reminds me that even though the road of life goes on, it can be very bumpy at times. Friendship is what helps even out those bumps.