Wednesday, September 24, 2008

BFFs

I love the acronym kids use today. My friends and I didn’t use it when we were in high school—you know, back in the dark ages before computers and cell phones—but we were BFFs. Still are, actually. A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of getting together with a group of high school friends for Sunday Brunch, and it was just like old times.

The occasion? One of our group has been living in Italy for more than thirty years and she was in town for her niece’s wedding.

Thirty years? you ask.

Gasp!

I’ve actually known them much longer than that. I met them in 1969, so yeah, we’ve been gal pals for nearly forty years.

Today we're five very different women with different careers and lifestyles.


(l. to r.) Annina, Domenica, Vilma, Ligia, Lee


Some of us are married, some are not. Some of us have children, and one of us is a grandmother. After all these years, what keeps our friendship so strong? If I told you that’s a secret, it wouldn’t be far from the truth.

Together we went through all the things teenagers go through—first boyfriends, first kisses, getting grounded for missing curfew, obsessing over clothes, learning to drive, sharing confidences. At the time we didn’t know those experiences would create a bond that would last a lifetime, but we’re all so glad they did. And if we were meeting now for the first time, I’d like to think we’d still become friends. Best friends. Forever.

Until next time,
Lee

8 comments:

EllenToo said...

You are so lucky to have friends from high school that you are still friends with. I was a senior in college before I met a pair of sisters that I became best friends with and who are still friends now even though we rarely see each other.

Estella said...

I still have two friends from my high school days. I have known them for for over 50 yestds.

Lee McKenzie said...

Ellen, I hope you and your college friends still keep in touch, in spite of not being able to see each other often. The older I get, the more I realize just how important and how special these friendships are.

Lee McKenzie said...

Estella, that's wonderful! Are you and your high school friends able to get together very often?

Anonymous said...

How lovely to have friends you can just fall right back into place with, no matter how far apart you live – and how many grandchildren you have!

Rachel

Lee McKenzie said...

Rachel, several of us have brought our daughters to the occasional get-together, and it was fun to watch them hit it off, too. This is when it's great that the apples don't fall far from the trees :)

Trish Milburn said...

How fun, Lee. If we have a reunion, it will be my 20th next year. I CAN'T believe that.

Lee McKenzie said...

I love reunions! Have fun, Trish!