friends

There are so many types of friends defined by this 7 letter work. Friend can be a term loosely tossed around such as "Yeah, I know him/her, we're friends." Or a friend can be someone who seems almost entwined within your being. I have had a broad spectrum of friends in my quarter or so of a century of life. There were those friends in grade school who I played with daily at recess and felt lost when they were home sick. Then there were the friends with whom I snuck off campus with during 5th period lunch in the terrible days of high school. In college there were the friends with which I racked up more hours with than I did in the library. My point being that at each time in my life I had friends who helped me to define the term, sure there were ups and downs, but each received a piece of my heart while the relationship lasted.

As I grow older my friendships change. There is no recess or lunch hour or dorms that place friends immediately in my vicinity. I have learned to value the friends that make the effort to be in my life. I don't discount how hard it really is. (Or for some so very easy- our friendship is such that months may pass but the love never fades.) But today, I value the friends who are very present in my life. In my mind, I refer to them as "farting friends". This may in fact be a very crass name but symbolizes something very beautiful to me. This is my friend, who is there for the good, the bad, and the ugly but also offers love and support day to day. "Farting Friends" are the first ones you call to celebrate with and laugh with not just as a shoulder to lean on. A "FF" knows you as well, if not better than, you know yourself and surprise surprise- LOVES you anyway! I have a few of these jewels amongst the pearls of my life and for this I am very grateful.