Friendship and the Collage.....

I am a truly blessed woman!

When you look up in a dictionary to see what the definition of a girlfriend is you will find that it usually deals with love between a boy and a girl. So disappointing for one who loves to use quotes and definitions in her work..... I have been married to the same man for almost 29 years and I claim his as my best friend! But there is something about girlfriends.... the bond, the history that seems to be a "happy place" that I enjoy going to. How is it that friends can get together after years and that bond is still there or even stronger because we have been thinking and praying for them over that time?

Friendships for me started in first grade.... Yes, I said first grade! I seem to only have good memories of "the girls", I am sure I experienced bad... but the memory of these times is just not there! Memories of parties, teachers, boys, the ball park, the All Star, Ken's Pizza, driving down Memorial Drive, Winn Dixie parking lot and my favorite~ Playing Girls Basketball!!! Over the last couple of years the "ladies" of South Gwinnett High School Class of 1978 have been getting together every month. We average about 15 at each luncheon, trying to spread the luncheons out between locations and time so all can attend. I am amazed at how this group of girls adds so much to my life! We talk about the present, but so many conversations lead back to the past. Teachers we admired, trouble we got into (including spankings) and wondering about those we no longer have contact with or that have passed on.

I have a group of about 17 girls that I actually attended 1st - 12th grade with. Now that is a true band of girlfriends.... We still know so much about each other, many of our children attending the same school and knowing each other.

When I started working on this piece, of course I had to find the perfect quote.

I loved the quote ~

A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.

But the I found this one....

Like branches of a tree we grow in different directions, yet our toots remain as one. Each of our lives will always be a special part of the others.

I read this quote and knew it had to be the quote for my piece.

If you have old girlfriends that you have not heard from in some time...

Call them, put together a girls date.

You will be so blessed by igniting that part of your heart again!

Some of the girls that I attended 1st - 12th grade with!