Thanksgiving Day 15: Three Decades of Friendship

Have you ever had a friend who you hit it off with almost immediately? A friend with whom you can walk home from work, both talking all the way. A friend who will patiently wait for you to be done whatever activity you feel you need to complete. A friend who takes the time to get to know and love your family.

A friend who makes the effort to keep in touch despite the disparate time zones, occupations and commitments that could just as easily have put distance between the two of you. A friend who can be pragmatic but who also can indulge your whimsy. A friend who listens to you and you know you're heard.

A friend whom you can call and say, "She's in the hospital; we don't think she'll make it through the night ..." and who will drop everything to be with you and your family in that hospital room, holding you up at the exact moment you realize that the person who had held you up throughout your life to this point will no longer be able to do so.

A friend who knows not only your history but also your dreams and is loyal and encouraging to you in both. A friend whose presence adds depth and colour and context to your being. A friend with whom you can weep and with whom you want to rejoice.

And so today, in this month of thankfulness that of course fittingly includes your birthday, I want to say Happy Birthday, truest of friends. What a gift you are to my life!