36 years of Friendship and……Surprise

It seems only fitting on this Thanksgiving week to share a story of friendship….the story of a surprise….the story of gratitude.

This is my friend Jodi and I in our senior year in high school. We met 36 years ago and were the best of friends throughout our high school years . Nothing could get in the way of me and this girl……..not even my big hair. We instantly had a connection from the moment we met and I knew in my heart, she was a friend for life. Her family was like a second family to me and treated me just like I was one of their own, and I will forever be grateful for that.

Graduation, college, boyfriend, jobs….life began and we kinda sorta went our separate ways. Apparently we had a little fall out, over something , although it’s not really clear  what it was about. We saw each other a handful of times right after high school and the last time I talked to her on the phone was about 15 years ago. Facebook brought us together about three years ago and we would occasionally connect through our comments.

About two months ago I received a text from her husband inviting me to her surprise 50th birthday party. I didn’t hesitate to say yes. I felt so blessed and grateful that they would want to include me. I was a tad bit anxious as it had been about 25 years since I saw her last…..although I was the same girl that she knew with a different hairstyle and a couple more wrinkles. I counted down the days till I flew to Indiana, just like that young high school girl who was going to hang out with her best pal again.

this is Jodi and her amazing family at the party

this is Jodi and her high school sweet that she went on to marry and are living happily ever after 

I entered the room, she looked at me with a bit of shock, we hugged and laughed like no time had past. The next day was filled with girl time, lunch, dress shopping ( her daughter is getting married next year) and enough conversation to get us caught up on the talks that we missed during the last 25 years. And as sad as I was to leave her and her family and that we missed the most important days in each others life’s…weddings, births, and other milestones, I feel grateful and blessed.

Blessed to have her friendship.

Blessed to have her love.

Blessed to have the next 50 years together.

And for that I am grateful.

grateful

for the L family