She sent this picture to my phone. I told her to be careful what she sends me. haha I told her she might just see it again. Well, here it is. But I love this picture. You know why? Because THIS is Amber. Carefree. 100% herself. Silly. A child at heart. She is one of my oldest friends. We go all the way back to the age of 5. Let me do the math for you --- that's 21 years of friendship. We met on our elementary school's playground. Since that day, we've been inseperable....in spirit. Life has taken us each down different paths, but we've remained close despite the distance. Amber will always be one of my favorite friends. She gets me. You would probably look at the two of us and wonder how we fit together, but we do....better than any two friends you could ever imagine. Amber taught me how to imagine. We always went on adventures, and we had so many plans for the future. We were going to be spies together (if you ask my students, they'll tell you it's still one of my dreams....to join the CIA). We were going to do so many things. Then life happened. One of my favorite memories we have together is us riding her bike around her neighborhood. I was peddling, and she was on my shoulders. I know....today, I would flip out if I saw some kids doing that.....but we didn't think about how dangerous it was. It was fun! Another memory....she convinced me to let her fold up a sleeper sofa with me inside. I look back and see how dangerous that actually was, but again....we didn't think about those things. We have so many other memories together....many that we will laugh and laugh about. Others make us sad....like when she moved away. I don't think either one of us has found another friend like the other. I don't think we ever will. Childhood friends are irreplaceable. I'm fortunate to have kept a lot of my childhood friends, and we still keep in touch with each other. I love all of my friends and keep them close to my heart, but Amber is my first and most favorite friend, and I can say without a doubt that we will be friends for the rest of our lives....not matter where life takes us next.
Amber and I text each other every day....throughout the day. She is going to Chile on a mission trip in December. She will be gone for two months, and I know we won't be able to keep in touch while she's gone. She has played such a huge part in my healing process. We can relate to a lot of things, and she can just tell when I've had a bad day. We know each other so well, we don't need words. She has been such a comfort, and although I hate that we had to be brought back together through this, I'm so thankful to have her back in my life after years of barely communicating with each other. We were able to pick up where we left off and just keep moving. I hope she doesn't mind me sharing this picture. I think I know her well enough to know she'll laugh and not think much of it....I hope.
We all need "Amber" friends in our lives....I'm so thankful for mine.
I don't know you, but I read your blog regularly and pray for you and your husband often. Amber is actually a friend of mine too, I was surprised to see her on your blog! I 100% agree that we all need an Amber in our lives - she has taught me how to be playful in the best of times and how to show pure emotion when that is needed as well! yay for Amber!
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