Best Friends forever..Cherish them.

I remember when I was younger, 4 years old to be exact...I lived in a place called Bramalea, Ontario, and my best friend lived right across the street from me.  Her name was Kirsten McKerron....We did everything together....We were in the same classes at school through to Grade 2...We had sleepovers, we played in our backyards....We were inseparable...Then in Grade 3, I moved away, because my Dad got transferred with his work.   So my best friend and I lost touch.  In grade 4, my family moved again, this time to Brampton, Ontario...(if you are familiar with this region, you'll know that Bramalea no longer exists..It's actually a part of Brampton now)  I started at another new school, and had to meet new friends all over again.  I was lucky enough to meet another girl, who became my best friend.  Alexis Alli....

Anyway, what I am trying to get at is how important friends can be in a persons life.  I am now friends with Alexis again on facebook, and I remember recently she was reminiscing about the younger days when things were easy....The times we went looking for the boys forts, and running through the corn fields in the rain....Spending time at the mall, shopping for the same clothes, playing hide and seek in our neighbourhood......and a long list of so many other things.....Ahhhh...Those were the days...Care free......

When we get older, we look back, and wonder, "If I could do it all again, would I change the way things were?"  I think there are a few things I would do differently, but for the most part....I'd do it all over again, just the way it was.

For years, I wondered what happened to Kirsten.....and finally in 2011, I managed to track down a phone number for her.  We played phone tag a bit, back and forth, but we've never connected to be able to chat.  I really should take the time again, to contact her so we can catch up...

With the number of moves I've made, I've left a number of friends behind...Most recently, when I  moved 6 years ago, I left my friend Julie Knox behind in Kingston, Ontario.  I think about her, and miss her a lot sometimes... My husband and I were friends with her husband as well , so we did stuff together as couples.  Then she had kids, and now that I have kids as well, it would've been nice to have been able to do family things....She recently lost her Mother-in-Law unexpectedly, and those are the things I wish I could have been there for..to offer a hug, and some support...

I've made some good friends in the 6 years we've been here.....But I find, now that we have kids, and they have kids, we all get so busy...and we forget to make the time to pick up the phone once in awhile, if only just to say 'Hi"... ...

I think it's important that we make the time.....Friends can be just as important as family......If you find the right ones, they'll always be there for you.......They can offer that one word of support you may need, they can make you smile, and often they know you well enough, that they can tell when you need a hug, or when you need a shoulder to lean on......

I want to thank everyone who is and has been a friend...Chances are...something you've said or done in my lifetime, has influenced me in some way or another.......And you've helped me create memories...which also need to be cherished...

I always try to encourage my children, to have as many friends as possible....But it's nice to know that my daughter and son have best friends who they love to spend time with, and who they have common interests with.  I wanted to share a few pics...Unfortunately I only have one of my son and his friend.

If you have started thinking about the friends you have now, or have had in the past, then I've succeeded in making my point.   Perhaps you might want to touch base with them again...Find out how they're doing...You never know, maybe they've been thinking about you as well...