Your FRIENDship bouquet!

I do some of my best thinking walking the dogs in the corn fields behind our home so this morning I got to thinking about all of the blessings in my life.  It led me to feeling happy about my marriage, our home, our community, our kiddo, our animals, and our weather today and well it then led to thinking about my many friends.  We’ve been blessed beyond measure with a large passel of wonderful friends since moving here one year ago this week. 

So I was thinking further about friends and thought of this: Friends are kind of like shoes, you need several different kinds for different reasons. Before you berate me for comparing friends with shoes let me explain.  I think the older we get the more diverse our friend bouquet becomes.

When you’re in school your friends are the people around you in your class, your neighborhood and maybe the church.  As an adult, you have work friends, church friends, neighborhood friends, friends you met talking to in line at the grocery store, friends you meet through friends, friends you meet at other friends’ parties, workout buddy friends, etc. etc.

There is the friend who is like you.  Yep, there are so many shared traits and experiences she’s almost like your sister.  She might even start to look like you after a while. 

Secondly, there’s the friend who will tell you the truth no matter what and the friend who spares your feelings when you need it.   

The friend on Facebook that everybody loves to hate at times who is always working out but God love her for that because secretly it inspires you to move more yourself.  The competitive friend is a lot like that last one mentioned but she’s always challenging you to be better.  Since I’m a very competitive person I love this although I go back and forth with feeling capable to beat her.  That’s just why she’s a good friend though, it’s like the puzzle you cannot solve, you never get bored and you never stop trying.  Maybe it’s designed that way; the friendship.  For if you were able to catch her it wouldn’t be as fun.  

That brings me to the fun friend.  She’s always organizing something to do and has the best ideas. 

And of course this won't apply to most of you but some of you....that RADIO friend.  The friend who worked terrible hours in radio with you.  The friend who knows more Ramen noodle recipes than you.  That geeky friend who understands why you're excited with breaking news and severe weather coverage.  That's the nerd who wants to high five you when you've just completed a great "break" or when you hit the post.  Hang in there, non-radio friends, I'm done.....

And the friend who grew up just like you did.  That’s the friend who understands your family sayings and can finish them for you, cause she’s a girl from the south….as if “Girl, I haven’t seen you in a month of Sundays!  Have you been busier than a kitty cat in a litter box or something?”  Good gravy!  That’s right.  That’s the girl who knows how to match your iron skillet cornbread and might even make it better….sometimes.  Or actually just kick your fanny across the county with her fried pies.  Yep, that's actually closer to the truth.  She loves guns and to target shoot too so this is a range buddy friend.

I love the friend who is posting inspirational quotes because while I love to read them I can never find them.  I’m usually too distracted looking at something that just makes me belly laugh.  Sooooo, yep, it’s time to honor that friend, the friend who makes you laugh ‘til you pee your panties. Lol J  Yeah, I said it.

There is the MOM friend.  Your mom can finally be your friend as an adult because she’s raised you right and now doesn’t worry that you’ll turn into a brat.  She was the leader and the mom growing up, nothing more, now she is the friend at last. 

There is the friend of your moms who is like a special Aunt.  I have one of those.  She’s so close to me and us to her that we stay with her when we travel back to Oklahoma.  I love her so much, I always have.  So see….I latched on to one of my mom’s friends and now she is mine.  Ha! J  Although, I really didn’t steal her from mom, really, I didn’t.

The cousin friend will help you get into trouble at family gatherings.  He’s the friend that you switched name plates with at the table when your Aunt wasn’t looking because you just HAD to sit with him at Christmas dinner. This will be the friend who you will look forward to seeing the most at family gatherings.  You’ll talk about all of the fun you had when you were growing up and create more grown up memories of your own when your kids get together.  

Or that roommate friend that you lined up on a drill team with to high kick your way across Oklahoma to the Junior college championship.

The college friend understands your crazy passion for orange and black, Go Pokes.  Oklahoma State friends are just cool because they went to Oklahoma State and you dolled up to go two-stepping with them at the Tumbleweed. 

Speaking of that, there is a friend who is like a tumbleweed.  She is a little rough and seems to blow through life without a care in the world.  You wish you could be a little wild like her at times but thankful it’s her and not you.  She’s to be admired because she often doesn’t care at all what others think of her.  Her self-esteem is high and to be admired.  You learned a lot from this friend.  The daisies, roses, sunflowers, peonies, tulips and daffodils in your life all make up your unique friend bouquet. And yes, there are always wildflowers, they’re the unexpected friendships we make.

Finally, there is the solid, strong, long living tree.  The seasons do little to change it.  It always comes back healthy and vibrant. This is the friend who is just there.  You might move away.  You might get busy with work, family activities and so much more.  But when trying to wrap up this little thought today, I think I found something that says it all about a good friend.  

 

~Anne Boswell Taylor

April 6, 2015 
A cute friend song. Enjoy!