Many many moons ago, I was born and 5 months later my BFF, Ami was born. Our parents were friends and it seemed inevitable that we would be friends. When I think back to my childhood, she is a part of that. We didn't go to the same school together in elementary school or middle school as some experiences in my life took me to a different location in the state.
As luck and life would have it, I moved back to Huntington to live with my dad. I started high school in the fall of 1992 and there Ami was...at band camp, playing the flute. I hadn't seen her in I would estimate about 6 or 7 years at that point. I was excited and scared at the same time to see her. Turns out it was a good thing to see her then :)
Throughout high school and even the first semester of college, she and I were not immune from the typical high school teenage girl drama and we hit a few rough patches. We somehow managed to work through them, despite both of us being emotional ( and me being irrational at times). I guess that's how relationships work sometimes.
At some point toward the end of our undergrad days, we drifted apart for any number of reasons. Although truthfully geography played a big part of that as she and her husband moved further away from WV. Over the years, I missed her terribly. I would think,"I wonder what Ami would think of this..." or " Ami would totally get that...". I later found out she thought similar things about me. Say what you will about Facebook, but it was a Godsend for us.
Then in May 2009, our world changed. My dad died suddenly. He had been a big part of her childhood and I know his passing hurt her. Obviously, I was devastated. But she called me that day (like I said, FB was a God send... we had phone numbers for one another at that point) and it was like we hadn't missed a beat. I have since relied on her for emotional support or perspective (well, I did when we were younger,too but you know what I mean...). Honestly, I just missed her.
Then in July of this year, she and her little family made a trip to WV and I was able to see her and 2 of her 3 kids. We determined it had been 11 years since we had seen one another. We said that it wouldn't be another 11 years. As of today, she is now a resident of WV again. I am so excited that she is less than 2 hours away now.
I am lucky that I can say that the first friend I remember having in life is still my friend at 33 years of age. Maybe friendship is like a fine wine...gets better with age. I just know that my life is for the better because she is in it.
Definitely one of a kind! And OMG, thanks for making me cry! Like I am not on an emotional roller coaster as it is! ;-) but you know I could and would say all of the same back to you. That ability to pick right up where we left off is what makes lifelong friendships special <3 And a day when you are compared to wine is a good day! Here's to another life that is better because you are in it!
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