Best Friends

I've had two people in my life that I can call best friends. One, Linda Welborn, was my BF when I was a kid in Pelican, Louisiana. She was a true gift to me, and I still consider her my best friend of my early years. She and I lost touch with each other for around 30 years and reconnected about 8 years ago. It's been nice to be in touch with her again. She lives too far away to see her very often. I wish we could see each other more. When I'm with Linda, even though our lives are very diverse, I feel comfortable with her and the years just dissolve. Linda had cervical cancer 6 or 7 years ago and is still experiencing issues related to it, though she is cancer free. Life is not easy for her because of it, but through it all, she remains upbeat and faithful. I love her.

Most of you know we went to Idaho last weekend. It was a two-fold purpose trip---the Catlin family reunion was that weekend and I got to visit with Marsha. Marsha is my BF of my adult years. As many of you know, Marsha was diagnosed with breast cancer in November. She began her chemo treatments in January, and just finished her radiation therapy last week on July 23. Her birthday was July 25, so that was a pretty good birthday present for her. It has been a LONG 8 months for her. I have lived this experience vicariously, but I am certain that I only have an idea of how hard and grueling the experience of chemo was for her. I wanted to visit her while she was having her chemo, but I was never able to go when she was in her "up" periods, when became fewer and fewer as time when by. She is an amazing woman and I am honored to be her friend and even more honored that she considers me hers.

Marsha says that she felt the prayers offered by family and friends. Isn't that amazing? I mean, we pray in faith, hoping that Heavenly Father will bless the person we're praying for, but we sometimes don't ever know the direct impact of that prayer on them. We don't always know if they knew we were praying for them. But, she says she felt them, giving her strenth and lifting her up. I'm so glad to know this. I think when we die and go to the Spirit World, that we'll be surprised to learn of the blessings we received in this life because of the actions and prayers of others that we were never aware of. That inspires me to try to be a little more kind and to try to be in tune with the promptings of the Spirit that lead me to do good things.

Marsha and I have been friends for, and this is hard for me because as strange as this sounds, I don't remember meeting Marsha. It just seems like one day she was in my life and I don't know when it happened. She remembers meeting me at church. I believe her, I just don't remember it. It was around 1978, I think. She and Mike, her husband, and Howard and I used to scrape our pennies together, literally digging in couch cushions and bottoms of purses and wherever money could hide, to find the way to go out when we were in our leaner (both physically and monetarily) years. Along with other friends we forged a lifetime of memories---picnics, dinners, lunches, phone conversations (hours long conversations), church meetings and parties, home get togethers, holidays, vacations, trips, deaths, births, weddings and illnesses. And, the memories continue to be made. We've laughed together and cried together. Shopped together and watched TV together. We've seen each other at our worst and best. I hate that we live so far away from each other, but it does make the times we get to spend together sweeter. Relationships like this can't be designed, I don't think. I think they were forged before we ever came to earth.

Friends are a great blessing in our lives. I have been blessed to have great friends.