You know, everyone, it's story time. This goes back to my catholic school days. I grew up in the 1990's and early 2000's, so sending a child there was status. My grandfather was part of the church and he paid for the education for myself and my siblings. But that is not the point.
Today, I am remembering someone I had known since 1st grade, Pamela. I still speak with her, mostly on Facebook. While there has not been much to the relationship in the past several years, there is always a yearning to keep each other updated. Send each other love. Show off our kids. Sometimes, life kept throwing us curveballs and seeing each other was not feasible.
A lot of times, I clear out old ideas, and people are part of that. When someone makes it clear that they don't want to interact with me, I part ways. With Pamela, it has never been like that. From high school letters to quick meetings to help move or say hi, we have been trying to keep in touch. When we do not, I know it is not intentional. The love between us is still there.
When you find that special person in your life, who understands the same things you do and can joke about it, you keep that person. With Pamela, we shared not only that catholic school experience, but dysfunctional and extraordinary abuse that defined our strength. We did not deserve it, but we sure are taking it and building a new foundation.
Friendship is not about being nice all the time. It's about love, but of a different kind. It is your outside resource, your support, your toughest critic, everything. You will laugh and cry, scream and ignore. Pamela and I have done enough of that over the years. The latest, I honestly was pushy about. I was desperate to help her and she was actually open to the idea.
Thank God.
Day by day, we navigate this new life. Sometimes, though, I can remember the days she was at another school, or the letters during high school, when she was in an all-girls facility and I was in public school for the 1st time. We had boy interests. Sometimes, the old got very weird...
There are a lot of us out there. We are unloved daughters. This is a club I would never wish on anyone. Remember to be kind. Some people do not go home to love.
Hold onto that person who acts like a parent. The shy person. The quiet 1s. They might be the 1s who needs the help, love and support the most.
Nobody is meant to be an island permanently.
Love you, Pam...
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