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Tuesday, April 7, 2009

The Happiest Birthday on Earth

There is a well known quote that has stuck in my head since I was a teenager and getting ready to move away from my home town.

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same."


In order to really be accurate, this quote should be re-written:

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while and leave footprints on our hearts. And some people stomp on our hearts and beat up our emotions, and scar us for life. And we are never, ever the same."

I suppose if that were the quote, it wouldn't be so well known.

I have struggled my entire life with friendships. I've always gotten along well with the boys. I wouldn't say I was a tom-boy, but I was definitely at ease with the guys that I knew. My very first best friend was a boy named Jacob. But for some reason, my friendships with girls have not come so easily. Girls were mean to me and spread rumors about me and picked on me. The girls that I thought were my friends always ended up hurting me and using me. I remember some of my childhood friendships with girls fondly, but when you're little girls, what can really go wrong?

Throughout high school, I was content with having surface level friendships. It wasn't until I moved to Brookings and met my friend Davene that I really experienced true, close friendship. She was my very best friend. We did everything together and even when I moved 14 hours south to Southern California, we remained as close as ever.

But as years went by, it was harder and harder to continue in the same way we always had. Now we're adults, and I still consider Davene to be one of my very best friends. But she is so far away.

The last 3 years of my life have been quite possibly the hardest ever. I am now coming out of that and life is great. But during that time, I lost the close friendships I had. I was betrayed and hurt and my heart was stomped on by the people that I thought were true friends.

Fast forward to last October. I had a chance meeting with a wonderful girl who has changed my life in many ways she will never know. She gave me an amazing gift. Through that gift, she gave me an even bigger one. She introduced me to her twin sister who understands me and the crazy life I live in ways that I don't know if any other girl ever has. That friendship is growing and blossoming and becoming something that I truly cherish.

Yesterday was her birthday. She asked me to spend it with her at the Happiest Place on Earth... DISNEYLAND!!! I gladly accepted her invitation. So yesterday afternoon we hopped in my jeep and headed off to a wonderful day of talking, laughing, bonding, and screaming our heads off on rides. I am so thankful for her and the blessing that she is in my life.

Happy Birthday Bianca! Thanks for being my friend!

5 comments:

Bianca said...

Oh my! We are the biggest NERDS ever!!!

Thanks for a fun day :) I can't wait for our next trip to the happiest place on earth!

Jewelielyn said...

i used to know a quote that said "a faithful friend is a sure shelter. whoever has found one . . . " i can't remember the rest, so i will finish it myself . . . "is a lucky, lucky girl!" and btw, the best friend is one who will be nerdy with you . . . in a public place! ;)

Tira J said...

Hi Diandra. I had the same problem growing up, and even today, some of my best friends are guys. I love that B is your friend and that you got to celebrate her birthday at Disneyland. Blessings to you.

Kare said...

Ah, J*'s sister!! How wonderful for you both to have found each other. It's hard finding friends when you're grownup and harder still to find a BEST friend. They sure are blessings. Happy Birthday, Bianca!

Diandra Ann said...

Friends are definitely hard to come by... great friends that last and understand you are almost impossible!