Wednesday, June 17, 2009

I get the "gold friends" bit now.

When I was young, my best friend at the time had a framed saying in the downstairs hallway of her house that I just loved.

"Make new friends,
but keep the old.
One is silver,
the other is gold."

I loved it and would sing-song say it out loud every time my friend and I went bouncing through the hallway on our way to some adventure. Unfortunately, as time has gone on and the years have gone by, my friend and I have parted ways.

I guess you could say we are no longer the gold-type of friends. That distance sort of made it hard for me to believe in that silly Girl Scout rhyme. Maybe they just don't exist.

But I have it now. I'm surrounded by beautiful "gold" friends.

My bridal party, for instance, is amazing.
I know, I know... you get asked to be in someone's wedding and it's common sense that it's not just a pretty (...or not-so-pretty) dress and a walk down the aisle before the bride-to-be. But it's tough work, especially when you try to put five or so people together who have never met and don't know each other and make them work together through work schedules, family life, and hundreds or even thousands of miles.

My maid of honor lives in Massachusetts. Two girls live near Philly. One is a local friend here in central PA. My fifth gal lives in Florida.

Two are married. One just had a baby (and yes, got measured for a bridesmaid dress at six months pregnant). Two are teachers. One was recently unemployed. One is in a foreign country until next week. One's husband is in Panama for six months.

Yet, with every ounce of my being, I know that they have gone and are going far beyond the call of duty of a bridesmaid. They are sneaky and sometimes it drives me crazy not to know what's going on, but I can't even try to find out because I know how hard they are working and how special they are making this entire experience for me.

(I wonder if there are penis necklaces involved in the beginning of August, and if so, does that make them gold or does it pull them down to silver?)

Whatever.
I mean, they have to deal with Scott's mom, my aunt AND the evil stepmother. Over and over and over again.
Phew.

I love these ladies.
I understand why it felt right for each one of them to be with me on the most important day (so far) of my life.

I can't even choose the order of our line-up at the ceremony, because, quite frankly, I'd prefer them to be in a circle around me and Scott rather than a few of them being feet away.

I have other amazing friends who are becoming quite golden, and who have really come out of nowhere, when I was losing all faith in an identity for myself out here in the quiet Cove.

Ashley and Kassia, who despite weeks and sometimes months apart, still give me a good belly laugh when I need it most.

Sarah, a new friend for whom I gained a TON of respect while out to lunch together today. She's my new-found partner-in-crime, too. It helps that she's dating Scott's best man and that she has an adorable baby girl.

Emily, found through a favor I did for my bridesmaid Julie. She lives nearby, has a boyfriend who has lived in the area all his life (like my fiance) and doesn't have many local friends (just like moi). We get along great and I love our new Monday night tradition.

And Jessica, who I've gotten to know through her blog and e-mails over the past few weeks. Despite never really getting to know each other when we worked for the same newspaper, we seem to be making up for it now that she's on a different continent.

I'm also just trying harder.
Or maybe it's just trying hard.
I'm definitely trying.

And I'm loving these friends and hoping they know how much I treasure each and every one of them.

As if they were gold.

*

"A circle is round,
it has no end.
That's how long,
I will be your friend.

A fire burns bright,
it warms the heart.
We've been friends,
from the very start.

You have one hand,
I have the other.
Put them together,
We have each other.

Silver is precious,
Gold is too.
I am precious,
and so are you.

You help me,
and I'll help you
and together
we will see it through.

The sky is blue
The Earth is green
I can help
to keep it clean

Across the land
Across the sea
Friends forever
We will always be"

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