Okay, I have to admit, I've never called her that before. It just seemed like a cool, hip term to use in a title. I think "Bestie" is really a word that the younger generation uses, but it's a good descriptor for my best friend, Jen. Jen and I have known each other for what I figure has been close to 30 years. Jen and I first met in elementary school when we attended square dancing lessons together. Yup, you heard me right, we square danced together. Back when we were in elementary school that was the really popular activity to do. Here is the funny thing, there were two boys in our class and no one wanted to dance with them. In the fifth grade, the girls wanted to dance with the girls and it was gross to touch the boys. I think Jen got stuck with one of the boys because she was one of the younger girls in our class. Jen's sister Trish (who is my age) and I used to dance together. Later in life, when we were in high school, Trish and I roomed together at Music Camp. Trish and I were good friends and then in college Jen and I reconnected one night. We were at a party together and walked to get our car during a meteor shower. It was the most amazing meteor shower I have ever seen. During that walk, we talked about rooming together the following year and took the meteor shower as a "sign" that it was "meant to be". Funny thing is, we have never lived together.
Over the next few years, we became very, very close. Being an only child, I never had a sister and Jen soon became the closest thing I had to a sister. We both were teachers and shared our love for educating children. We shared our early classroom experiences together as new teachers. We both got our first jobs and moved away from home the same year. She and I would commiserate nightly on how lonely it was living by yourself. We both adopted kittens about the same time to ward off the loneliness. We both met our soon to be husbands at about the same time. She was my maid of honor and I was one of her bridesmaids. I also played a flute solo in her wedding. We both had our children at about the same time. She had her daughter Katie first and Joey followed about 16 months later, followed by Jacob about 17 months later followed by Danny 14 months later. Today, when the two of us get together, we have four children from the age of 7 to 4.
Jen has been with me through the good times, but also through the hard times too. She held my hand when I found out that Dave and I couldn't have biological children. She went through the entire adoption process with me and she rejoiced when we brought both of our children home. I actually think she was at the finalization for both kids. She has taken middle of the night phone calls from me when I my babies were teething and just wouldn't stop crying. She has helped me clean my house when it was a DISASTER. She was on the phone with me, comforting me when my dad told me I had to come upstairs because my mom was in her last minutes. She made sure I was getting enough rest and I ate when I was mourning the loss of my mom. She took Joey for a week when my dad was having surgery in Boston. She was the first person I called when the reality that my marriage was over finally sunk it. She was with me the day we said goodbye to my dad and on that day, when we finally got home, she took me out and made me buy a pair of sexy jeans because as she said, all girls need a pair of sexy jeans to make you feel good. Over the events of the last few months, she has been there every step of the way.
She knew that yesterday and today were going to be tough, so yesterday she invited me to her house and we took the kids to the beach. We took the kids to a wonderful beach on a pond about 6 miles from her house. The kids played for hours in the pond and had a blast and she and I sat on a blanket, watched them and just chatted. It occurred to me that she knows me better than probably any one else on earth. Both of my parents are gone and my husband and I aren't together anymore. She is the one person who has known me the best the longest. I am so grateful that I have her in my life. I consider her to be my sister. I looked at our kids and realized what a miracle each of them were and how I hope they can each grow up and have a "Bestie" in their lives. Jen and I joke that Joey and Katie would make beautiful grandchildren for us one day. If they got married, we would legally be related and we would share a common bond of the children. However, Joey and Katie don't see eye to eye very often and bicker like siblings frequently. We'll have to work on that!
I am so blessed that God has given me Jen as my best friend. I really don't know where I'd be without her. She has been there for me since we were kids and the older we get, the closer we get. We have shared so many things together in our lives. I pray that my boys can become best friends with one another and share the type of bond that Jen and I have. I know that it's different with boys, but my personal feeling is that everyone needs a confidant and best friend. Friendship is what enriches our lives and gives us a deeper purpose. Praise God for Besties!!
"Two are better than one,because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"
~Ecc 4:9-10
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