Karen’s Place

I’ve always heard the phrase that people come into your life at a certain time for a certain reason (something like that anyway). I always understood it, but never thought it really applied to me.

I’ve been extremely fortunate in my life to have the best of friend; even when my stubbornness at times refused to recognize them, even when I thought I was completely alone in the world all I had to do was look behind me and low and behold one of them had my back.

That’s what has made this past year so difficult for me. I’ve noticed my core group of friends all drifting off to different places. I have the friend I’ve considered my sister for 20 plus years that now we are lucky if we speak on the phone once a week. We have the third amigo to this trio who is slowly slipping away as well, off on her own separate interests and new friends. None of these things are bad, it’s just sad. I am very close friends with my friend/my sister’s boyfriend and her son is my Godson, so we will always have that connection. In addition, no matter what we know without having to say it if either of us needed the other we would be there without ever having to ask why.

Our third amigo is my Goddaughter’s Mom, same goes for her. I see her a little more frequently and now that Sam is in her mid-teens I talk (who am I kidding – text) to her every day. Still, there’s a little less in common as time goes by. Our conversations revolve more around the past and a little less around what is going on currently. I suppose that had I not had blinders on, I would have known this would happen one day.

I know in my heart that these two ladies will be with me the rest of my life in one capacity or another. I’ll make sure of it. I plan to participate in those kids wedding (wedding singular, I have no doubt they will marry one another!).

I’m not saying they are the only one’s who have changed here. In fact, I don’t think they’ve changed nearly as much as I have. I think they are the same people they’ve always been, but I’ve done an almost major overhaul of my life emotionally at least in the past year. That’s not to say I made a conscious decision to leave them behind, but I can’t stay home and hide every weekend like given the choice they would do. I realized I need to live my life. I’m sure this sounds very selfish and without knowing the situation, how can I blame anyone for thinking that?

I made the decision first of the year that I would do my best to never leave a room or someone’s company without a smile on my face. If I couldn’t do that, I wouldn’t put myself in that situation or person’s company again. You’d be amazed how much less stress and how much happier I’ve been. Of course, this isn’t practical for everyone I’m sure, but it is for me and I plan to continue this path…So here we are.

Last fall I was drug kicking and screaming to my high school reunion. There was only one good thing to come out of it. I found my old friend from Junior High. She’s the platinum blond in the pictures from the earlier post.

Back in the day, Junior High started in 7^th grade. I started that year with no friends in any of my classes. Talk about scared to death! I couldn’t even have a friend for a locker partner since we had to choose from our 4^th hour class. By the time I walked into band class I was depressed and defeated. That’s where I met this tiny little trouble maker with a big mouth. She played the flute just like me. She and her friend Melissa were the first to speak to me and from there it was history. I’ll never forget her for that and I’ll never be able to thank her for that either.

Over the years, Kim moved around quite a bit, but wherever she was, she always wrote and let me know where she was. In fact, for a year or so, she was at the lake and I got to spend a summer with her. She was the one who introduced me to my first boyfriend while we were at the skating rink.

After high school, Kim got married, and very soon after that, she had her daughter then her son. Then we lost contact. I always missed her but had no idea where she was.

I think it was fate that we were supposed to live our lives the way we did until now. She went on to become a nurse and a republican (ugh!). If I’d had any influence on her, she may not have become a republican. Ha ha ha ha ha ha. If we’d stayed friends through those years, I may not have two wonderful Godchildren.

It seems Kim and I are at a time in our lives when we need each other again. At least in my opinion. Her children are grown, well almost. They are 20 and 15. She’s still married, to the most awesome man by the way. If I may be as arrogant to speak for her, Kim seems to be in a place in her life where she is ready to begin to step a little out of that ‘housewife’ role every now and again and remind her of who she is. Exactly where I was/am. She’s at the point in her life where she’s ready for her own interests outside the home.

Whatever the reasons are, all I can say is I’m glad fate brought my friend back to me. We may not be 12 years old anymore (thank God), but we sure haven’t forgotten how to have fun, and you know what? She was the first person to talk to me at that reunion…Thanks Kim.