Forever Friends

I have a friend named Ronda. We've been best friends for 22 years. I met her in my 10th grade Creative Writing class (2nd period). We also had World History (3rd period) together that year. Those 2 classes, several football games, many sleepovers, and her need for a friend to drive around once she got her license sealed the deal. Our common interests began with poetry, creative writing and journalism...but we soon learned we both loved football, movies and laughing (mostly at other people). We were a holy terror when she got her Mustang, and I turned 16 at the beach with her and her family. She was the only one I was allowed to spend the night with on a school night (because according to my parents, Ronda had good sense and did no wrong). We skipped school together, played pranks with donuts (don't ask) and piled up a lot of great memories (which we dubbed "Remember Whens").

Throughout the years, both out lives have changed. We both married (her once, me twice), she has 2 of the most well-behaved (but fun to hang out with) kids, and I moved two hours away (for 7 years) and then back again. She shared her life with me...her friends...her vacations. We've been to the beach too many times to count, Disney World, and we're still planning more trips. She was the maid of honor at my first wedding...and I played games and drank punch at her baby shower. I've watched her kids grow up and seen her oldest one almost reach the age she and I were when we first met. My...how time flies.

We haven't talked every day for 22 years. We haven't even talked once a month. There have been times when life got busy and moved on and we struggled to find time to reconnect. But we always did. And when we finally caught up with each other, it was magic...like time had never passed. We just talked and talked and filled each other in, and once we were up to date we went on like we always have. She and I just click like that...time apart has never mattered.

That's the thing about a "forever friend". They're always there, even when they're not actually right there. They know you and love you. They understand when your life gets busy, and they never judge you for it. They will always be your friend, even if you don't talk everyday. And once you do finally connect again, it's like no time has passed and you've been together all the time.