Girlfriends

I have girlfriends from all walks of life but the ones that have been with me the longest are my high school girls, better known as, "Part ham, mostly bologna."  If you knew us in high school you know that drama and flash followed us everywhere.   We documented our big hair, neon clothes, white pumps, Madonna outfits, and acid wash jeans as best as anyone in the 80s.  We loved, we hated, we gossiped, we flirted...St. Elmo's Fire had nothing on us.  Ok, so maybe I exaggerate, but reminiscing about high school is for that, right?

For the most part we met in the 80's as 7th and 8th graders and began hanging out in high school.  A pretty eclectic bunch we were nerds, jocks, beauty queens, artists, dancer girls, goodie-two-shoes and sometimes--naughty.  After high school we kept in touch even as we went to colleges around the country and were always sure to schedule our annual Christmas outings.

As we got older we threw raging Bachelorette parties, loving showers, and really celebrated when we turned 30.  We've always been there for one another through divorces (mine), drama, the good and the bad through phone calls and the occasional get togethers.

As adults we've become successful in our careers, travelled the world, have homes filled with love, have overcome adversity and celebrated triumphs.  This year is our last year in our thirties and we've been friends for more than two-and-a-half decades. Two of us live on neighbor islands, and all of our kids and husbands hinder us from getting together like we did in the past.  We communicate on email, Facebook, texting and through one another (so and so said....) because so busy, we don't even have time to spare to talk on the phone.  This past Christmas life happened and we missed our first Xmas get together.  It was inevitable yet heartbreaking on so many levels--especially thinking back to all the ones we had had in the past--like the blackout of 2009 when we raided the M********'s house and made a mess eating with kids in the darkness.

Last week a few of us got together to celebrate a birthday.  We hadn't seen one another for about half a year and it had been years since we went out at night sans kids and hubbies.  It ended up being a classic night with a lot of stories re-told and remembered, and new laughs to talk about for years.  Spending these few hours with my girlz warmed my heart and apparently knocked me out (I've been sick for days).  In many ways it was as if time had never stopped.  Distance had not diminished our connections or our love for one another.   I am so glad that they are in my life--because even if our time is limited now, the memories we share together are a huge part of who I am today.

So, here's a shout out to my girlz who have loved me when I was fat AND skinny, who have held my hair when I was barfing at the 5th reunion, who accepted any date I have ever brought to an outing, who never raise an eyebrow no matter how bad I am being,  who have been my friends forever, who don't hate me because I am beautiful (inside joke)and who are amazingly TALENTED, INTELLIGENT, PATIENT, BEAUTIFUL, PASSIONATE, COMPASSIONATE, and the best BFFs BeSTiEs a girl like me can have.

Love you guys!!!

Half of Part Ham, Mostly Bologna