Friends

[This week's carnival topic from Kate is friends...here we go!]

Friends are a funny thing...there are times when you think you have tons of them, but you don't, and there are times when you think you are totally alone in the world, and turns out? Lots of folks want to be your friend. I could go into something here about how high school sucked, and blah blah blah. But, no. It's old, tired, and frankly, I'm on vacation and don't feel like writing about downer kinds of stuff...
Instead, I'll write something else. Maybe, how just when you think you know everything there is to know about someone, they'll come out with something totally random that you had no idea about, and it's awesome. A full blown, "me too!" moment. People often surprise me that way; chatting with Dan in the car about cartoons, then both of us revealing that we loved watching Samurai Jack while in college, Sara declaring yesterday that my ultimate pizza sounds awesome (pepperoni, mushrooms and pineapple...yes, all at the same time!), or my cousins Bryan and Jesse just being the other 2/3rds of my brain.
Most of all, though, there's people who will just sit there with you while you totally lose it, know you and your moods so well that they can tell when you're having an off day before you even know what's wrong, and don't mind when you're all sniffly and red faced. Other than the man I'm marrying, and blood relatives, I can count on one hand the number of people who I can count on to see me through those dark hours. [and I think you know who you are!]
As I grow older, I remember how easy friendships were when I was young. Marie coming over and the both of us getting covered in strawberry juice; riding bikes with Nate and Joey, heading to the beach with Gina, Trina and the rest of the Orr's Island crew...those friendships were easy, and innocent. Both sets of parents knew, if Joey or I weren't at home, it was a pretty good bet we were at the other's house. We'd just hang out, ride bikes, play on the computer...
As I got a little older, my friendships changed, but mostly by virtue of whom I was friends with, but not the scope of the friendships. The theater/music gang I hung out with (Aaron (big brother), Cathy, Kurt, Derek, Shannon, Steve, John...)..we'd stay up all night in Aaron's folks basement playing video games, d&d and elfquest...again, totally innocent, and our parents never had any reason to doubt that.
One wonderful thing that has remained a constant is how easy my true friendships are. They're still just as unassuming, unwavering, and uncomplicated as they were when I was young, they're just with a different set of people. Only, now, I'm not willing to let those move on...at least not yet. And hopefully not ever...