True friends are never apart: Maybe in distance…

But never in heart. That is a saying from “Unknown,” but truer words have never been said. Like most of you, I have been so privileged to meet so many amazing women through the years. Through jobs, school, friends-of-friends, relatives, the list goes on. Many of these true friends and I have lost contact over the years, but when we reconnect, it’s like we were never apart. This friendship is truly something that sustains me, encourages me, and convinces me that all is right with our world.

While it is definitely true that there have been many men who have been and are special to me, today I am talking about woman-to-woman relationships. In my working years, nothing irked me more than hearing other women say they would “rather work for a man” as their boss than a woman. I always challenged this, even before I became a boss. There is truly nothing more degrading, more glass-ceiling than this kind of thinking. I do believe it has improved in recent years. And hey, look how many women are running for public office? It’s a pretty exciting time and a turn for the better. Who knows, maybe we really will have a woman president one day.

True friends from Junior High School days

How many old friends are you still in contact with? At least one, I’ll bet. I’ve mentioned my BFF Kathi. She has gone by Katie for many years, but I still know her as Kathi! Friends since junior high school, we lost touch for over 15 years. Once we reconnected, it was like we were never apart. That is true friendship. She has been fighting lung cancer for almost three years and I cherish every single minute we spend together. And phone call. And text. She is the true friend that I can literally say anything to and confide in.

True friends from high school days

On my last trip to Leland, Michigan, I had the chance to reconnect with another friend. Her name is Jinx–how cute is that name?! She and I and another friend, Barb, were absolutely inseparable throughout our high school years. They called us the Three Musketeers! We had so much fun and could tell stories about that time forever. Like most high school friends, we drifted apart after high school, but through the magic of Facebook, found each other once again. Jinx also has a second home in Northern Michigan, and last month we finally figured out a way to meet! Honestly, it just felt like old times! We’re planning a girls’ get-together with some other girlfriends from high school for next summer. Can’t wait!

Yes, Jinx was always short–and cute! She is a dedicated nurse who is still working. So great to see her!

True friends from elementary school days

My very best friend in the sixth grade was Linda. We started out as “enemies” for about two days and quickly became best friends. I was a new kid (we moved a lot!) at the elementary school that year and once we became friends, all was right with my world. We had such fun together! In the second week of seventh grade, my family moved from California to Michigan. We stayed in touch for a while, but as things go, we lost touch. Once again, Facebook to the rescue! She sent me a friend request with her married name last December and I had NO idea who it was. Until I saw her smile, that is! We got together recently for a lovely dinner with our spouses and again, it felt like 40+ years hadn’t gone by.

The picture isn’t great, but hey, this was AFTER dinner and wine and, well, you know!

To newer friends

There are far too many great women to mention, but I have worked with and known some wonderful, creative ladies. Most of us have managed to stay in touch and meet up occasionally. It’s usually for lunch or dinner, and generally extends to about four hours of “catching up!” Ladies like Lorie, Mary, Michelle, Kelly, Cindy, Pam, Donna, Amy, Lisa, Carla, Maggie, Anita, Colleen. The list goes on! These ladies have enriched my life and I hope I have given something in return.

Have you lost touch with a true friend? Reach out. Find them. Communicate. Reconnect. You’ll be glad you did! Because true friends are never apart. Maybe in distance, but never in heart.