Dedicated to my girl friends:

     My mother, my first best friend,

     Cocok, my best friend since grade school at the ‘knoll,   

     Cynthia, my best friend in high school at Pisay,

     Helen and Gaylie, my best friends in med school,

     Jasmine and Joee, my sisters who are the second mothers to my children,

     Joyce, my baby sister-in-law (although she’s no longer a baby),

     Ampy, my baby cousin (she’s no longer a baby too) who is Alphonse’s adored aunt and teacher, 

     Ondine, wife of our (A’s and mine’s) high school buddy Jun, and my dearest kumare, 

     Leirs, my kumare (we sealed the bond online, can you imagine that?)

     Megamom, my high school classmate with whom I shared the Abominable Snowman experience(*wink*) and newly-rediscovered friend (see, we’re making up for lost time)

     And to all the women who have shown me kindness, compassion, and friendship: Casdok, Susan, Maddy, Babs, Cris, Beth, Julie, Mari, Odette, Gracey, Vivi, Esi, Dee, Allen, Nancy, and Shirley, this one’s for you!

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,
God would show you the best in many friends.

One friend is needed when you’re going through things with your man.
Another friend is needed when you’re going through things with your mom.
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.

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 7th grade,
     One from high school,
     Several from the college years,
     a couple from old jobs,
     On some days your mother,
     On some days your neighbor,
     On others, your sisters,
     And on some days, your daughters.

So whether they’ve been your friend for 20 minutes or 20 years,
AND ONLY IF YOU’D LIKE TO,
Pass this on to the women that God has placed in your life to make a difference.