Best Friends

I met my best friend 20 years ago. Wow, that's a long time, isn't it? And since I'm only 41 that means we've been best friends almost half my life. Again I say, Wow.

Before I met my best friend, I had plenty of acquaintances who passed in and out of my life. We giggled together, we whispered about boys, we shopped and went to movies, we spent hours on the phone. I daresay I even spent time with people who came to be considered "bosom buddies," but looking back I see that they never quite reached "best friend" status.

In my book, a best friend is someone who offers unconditional acceptance, who stands by me through thick and thin, who doesn't pass judgment on me, who tells me what I need to hear even when it hurts, who shares common interests, who makes me laugh. Those are first-rate "best friend" qualities.

I actually make friends quite easily, partly owing to the fact that if even a stranger pays me the slightest bit of attention, I will tell him or her my whole life story without drawing a breath! Unfortunately, I have learned the hard way that not every person who has crossed my path has necessarily found that trait particularly endearing, and I have come to realize that some of my perceived friendships are actually one-sided.

But when it comes to my best friend, I don't have to worry about what I say or how I say it; I don't have to worry about talking too little or too long; I know that the things I say in confidence will remain so; and above all I know that our friendship is of the utmost importance to BOTH of us, not just to me. I don't have to worry about being cast aside for being tiresome or long-winded or goofy, because I realized a long time ago that no matter what, my best friend will ALWAYS be there for me.

I met my best friend 20 years ago. And 17 years ago today, I married him.