"If you have more than one friend, you have more than your share!"

I remember when I was younger my mom told me that if you have one true friend throughout your life, you are more blessed than most. I have had many friends come and go over the years but a few have stayed with me and some new ones have joined. Of course my sister has a special place in my life, not just because she's my sister but because she is also my friend. Even if she lives far away from me, I know she is always there.

I had one friend since I was a little girl that I thought I would be friends with forever, and although we still keep in contact via facebook we grew apart just before high school. But it was because of my friendship with her that led me to my oldest and dearest friend. (It's my blog and I can call her what I want, so we'll call her Mandy) Mandy and I started off as rivals but became friends eventually. I am happy to say that we have been friends for more than 27 years! We have survived moves to different towns, to different countries and back again. Our friendship has seen us through so many things that I couldn't possibly even list all the things we have gone through together. She has by far been one of the most influential people in my life thus far. She even helped me with my decision to marry my wonderful husband! She has been my rock for so many years, and even though we don't have the kind of friendship that we would talk everyday, the times when we do get to talk are wonderful. I would be lost without her.

I have had other friends that have impacted my life over the years, and if any of them are reading this, I am not trying to overlook anyone. I am using my blog as an outlook of thoughts and feelings, as I seem to be having a tough time with the changes life brings lately.

I had another friend that I was really close to for several years. Even to the point that we moved next door to her and her family. Everything seemed to be going great- I thought. We would play cards and go for lunch and have the everyday kind of friendship that everyone needs. Until one day she told me she didn't want to be friends with me anymore because of my religious beliefs. She didn't want our kids to be friends anymore so they would not feel influenced in anyway. I was shocked and so hurt that I swore that I would never let anyone in again the way I let her in. It took me a long time and MANY, MANY tears to be able to face the loss of that friendship. She sold her house about a year later and moved away. We have since started talking again, very little and distantly, but it's nice to not feel completely broken over it anymore.

Getting over her was not easy, but I made a new friend that helped me along my journey. She knew my fears of opening up to someone again and walked me through it. Literally. We would go for walks in the evenings for HOURS just talking, laughing, venting and even losing weight while we walked. Others joined us along the way, some came and went, some left, but through it all we stayed close. She brought out the person in me that laughed. I don't mean just a little, occasional laugh, I mean the type of person who can laugh till their abs hurt, tell there our tears in your eyes, till you can't stand up and walk because you are laughing so hard. I became that person. I starting really laughing. I found humor and joy in things that I took for granted. It was great. Sure enough... she moved away. Again I am trying to face that crappy loss of friendship. Yes we are still friends, don't get me wrong, but our friendship has changed. We don't get to hang out or talk every other day. We don't get to have our "what's for dinner Wednesdays" or our "Bree" moments or all the other many things we established that I miss dearly. I know she has a new and hard (VL) journey ahead of her and I know that I have to take a backseat to that. I just don't have to like it.

My common denominator is that they have all moved away.

I want to laugh again! I want to stop being angry at all the things and people that influenced my loss(es).

People stop moving away! My poor little heart can't take this!