I warn you...I'm drunk...

...but I think my mind and my heart is (are) in the right place.

My best friend just lost one of her best friends. They spent the last 35 years laughing, living, and hoping together. And now she is gone. She died today. but what she left was loved ones and friends behind that grieve the loss.

I dont' have a lot of the details of their friendship but what i do have is the story behind their common mantra...

The story goes that there was a party at Carol's house. Of course the invites always included the commen "FIVE" janet, debby, carol, susan and the original Janet. After much alcohol was imbibed, my best friend Janet said "I know we're hammered but 'let's ALWAYS be friends'. That simple statement really drove their lives because in marriage, death, children, jobs, etc., that was always true...they were always friends.


When Carol passed, I got an email from Janet...very simple. Carol had passed...we could have hung out longer.


I tried to say that death is not necessarily loss...it's simply a transition. She might be gone but what she left was a woman richer in her life experience BECAUSE of her. she left a woman that is now my friend and i can't help but think becuase of her I got a better friend.

So I thank you Carol...You gave Janet the value of friendship. You taught her to be fun, to be lively, to be appreciative of lifes moments and for that...you've enriched MY life. I don't even know you and look what you've done!

Janet and I may be different but what we've learned together is no matter what we go through that we, too, will "always be friends."