“What will I do without a best friend?” – Beaches (one of my all time favourite movies)
Today I’m grateful for my real friends.
In the movie Friends With Benefits Jamie’s mother advises her to “update her fairytale” pretty much saying that your prince charming or soul mate doesn’t necessarily mean an actual Prince on a white steed, come to rescue you from a life without love.
This rang home to me, because I’ve known for a long time that this romanticized version of a soul mate may exist somewhere out there but for me and my reality, I have been blessed to have more than one soul mate and they have nothing to do with romance.
The only way to have a friend is to be one. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Have you ever met someone and just clicked? It’s like you’ve known each other all your lives. A kinda love at first sight thing? Have you had that happen with someone you had absolutely no romantic interest in whatsoever? This is how it was for me when I met my friend Laquetha. It was love at first sight, the first day of our 6th form orientation. We just clicked. And have been clicking for more than 15 years. Wow 15 years. 15 years of loving, caring, growing and strengthening a bond that time and distance has not shaken.
My gift today was calling and wishing Laquetha a happy birthday and reminiscing a bit about the years. We’ve been through a lot together. We survived 6th Form in a Boy’s School, the birth or her son and my godson who by the way was born on my birthday (yaay me!), her move to the US, my mother’s death and the various heart-breaks in between. The good times, the great times, the sad times, she’s been there.
Laquetha is my ride-or-die-sister-from-another-mother-will-always-love-and-cherish-her soul mate. I feel blessed to have her in my life. She inspires me to continue to move in the direction of my dreams no matter what. She’s a single mom and recently graduated from University. So proud of her and all she has accomplished. Happy Birthday, love.