Friends

For those that really know me, they know how open I am in sharing that a huge percentage of the reason I am still here today, has been due to my friends.

Before Michael was killed, my friendships were on a superficial level. This wasn't to say that I didn't have long-time friends, but the essence of who I was wasn't truly understood.

The only person that knew me past the candy coating was Michael, and for my life, that was all I really needed.

It wasn't until after he died that true friendship, outside of my husband, would find it's way into my cold soul. This isn't to say that there weren't a couple of bumps in the road to find the ones who would really be willing to stick it out for the long haul (though they taught me much), but as my wise best(est) friend of mine has said, "Those that aren't in your life anymore, have made room for those that want to be there forever."(Sorry TT, if I butchered that).

Through the AWP (which is the other percentage of the reason I'm still here today), I have met the women who have not given up on me when I wanted to give up on myself, women that embrace and laugh at my quirks (just like my baby), women who continue to teach me about life, love and death at a level I never knew existed, women that have celebrated in the tiny and big moments that I never thought I could handle without Michael by my side, women that have made life worth living after a very long time of nearly settling for despair.

Women that have shown me that TRUE, undying friendship (outside of Michael), does exist.

It is to those women that words can never be enough, nor actions, but....I did find a few quotes that will suffice for now ;D :


“With each true friendship, we build more firmly the foundation on which the peace of the whole world rests.”
-Mahatma Gandhi


"By respect for life we become religious in a way that is elementary, profound and alive.
Impart as much as you can of your spiritual being to those who are on the road with you,
and accept as something precious what comes back to you from them.
In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter
with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit."
-Albert Schweitzer


“Depth of friendship does not depend on length of acquaintance.”
-Rabindranath Tagore


“True Friends are like blood.. it sustains life, and comes out whenever you are wounded”
-Unknown


“A friend who is far away is sometimes much nearer than one who is at hand. Is not the mountain far more awe-inspiring and more clearly visible to one passing through the valley than to those who inhabit the mountain?”
-Kahlil Gibran


“I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let’s face it, friends make life a lot more fun."
- Charles R. Swindoll

LUB