Enduring Friendships

One of the reasons I love antiques is that each piece has a 

history.  Someone once loved and treasured the item and for

whatever reason have now passed it on.  Sometimes a vintage

teapot or creamer is checked and cracked from use.  Other

times the piece is like new, as if it were stored away in a

hutch or cabinet and only brought out on special days.

Or perhaps its an old piece of furniture, nicked and worn in many spots 

from constant use.  Those are the pieces so many of us gravitate towards 

because they hold a special charm.  Sometimes we find new pieces and

try to make them look old, but there is always a certain newness about 

them that only time can adequately embellish.

Some friendships are like that.  I feel so fortunate to have some friends

with whom I have shared the nicks and abuses of life.  Old friends who 

have shared the stages of life with me from elementary school right 

up to today.  We have gone through first boyfriends, college applications,

sorority hazing, marriage, babies and every little twist and turn down

life's path.  Yet there is a special bond that we share that is unbroken

and just seems to become more cherished and dear as the years go by.

Then there are the somewhat newer friends.  There is

not the same history that is shared because we have met

as adults so we create a history together from a different

starting point.  Perhaps we meet in the workplace or we

are neighbors.  We may have been born in different cities

or countries of the world, yet there is some instant 

recognition of heart that draws us together and cements

a bond.  The longer we interact, the stronger that bond

becomes.

Or perhaps we have not yet met face to face, but have met via

blogging.  We discover that we have the same interests.  We 

quickly make up for lost time by visiting each other's blogs and

then sending emails.  Day by day that bond grows and we

are no longer acquaintances, but friends.  True friends.

The longer I have lived and moved from place to place in this big

wide world, the more friends I have held in my heart.  We are so

lucky to live in a world where the distance in miles between us is

shortened by our instant communication.  It makes it so much 

easier to share special moments in real time despite being so

far away from each other.  

So to me, friendships are a lot like antiques.  We all suffer a few

nicks and scars along the way, but the heart of the friendship is

still there and all the more dear in it's cherished patina.  

I just want to say thank you to all of you who have been so kind to

extend your hand in friendship.  You make my little world a much

happier place and I treasure you.

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley