Friendship.

I am posting on Vesta-poetry a beautiful poem that I have in my collection. I did not write it, but wish I did as it truly connects with my feelings regarding my friends.

I have friendships that fulfill many levels of my life. I am friends with my parents (often a rare occurrence it seems) and I am friends with my children. I do not believe in being my child's friend - but rather sharing a friendship with them. I am first and foremost their Mother and then their friend. I see this as a big difference as the friendship we share is based on respect and family, rather than a friendship of peers.

Then there is what I call my 'acquaintance' friendships. These are wonderful people who I connect with due to common interests, shared hobbies or even just because they are parents of my children's friends. These are friends that it is fun to spend a few hours with, share a few laughs and a cup of coffee. They make up the fabric of everyday life.

There are friends who I have met and share a history with, people who I might only see once a year, but can continue a conversation as though it was just 5 minutes ago. I have friends who I write to once a year at Christmas and receive their Christmas letter in return, but they hold a special place in my heart.

Then there are a few people who are my true soul-friends. I know that as they read this blog, they will know who they are. I can share every hope, wish and fear with them and they will truly understand. They will answer my questions even before I ask them. We have a connection of choice, a choice to be friends and we work on our friendship everyday. We stand by each other through good times and bad and know that our friendship is one of the most important things in our life.

I hope you have friends that fall into the above categories, friends that you can count on in times of celebration and times of need. I want to thank all of my friends for the gifts that they give me, the gift of friendship.