Think about someone you've known for a long, long time. Someone outside your family, that is. What would your life be like if you'd never met that person? It probably would be different; most of us would probably say that we would be worse off. I got started thinking about this while looking for shoes to wear in my best friend's wedding. That led me into thinking about the aforementioned best friend, and from there into "What might (not) have been..."
I've known Kate since 3rd grade when we started carpooling to school together. That means we've been friends for 27 years now. If we had never carpooled/never met, my life would be very different. Never becoming friends with Kate would mean that I wouldn't have someone to share fond memories of sleepovers at Aunt Rose's house - watching MTV Rock Blocks (and always seeing "Is This Love" by Whitesnake), and eating cold pizza and warm pop at 3am. It would mean that I wouldn't have had anyone to drive over the "bump" behind 7-11 with and bounce our heads off the top of my car when we got airborne. It would also mean that we wouldn't have been able to take Kevin (Kate's fiancee) over the bump a few weeks ago when they were in town. I wouldn't have "graduated" from U of M by wearing a cap and gown and sitting in the stands with Kate because she couldn't get any extra tickets. I would never have been exposed to most of my favorite music groups today - when Kate went down to Ann Arbor and heard XTC, she came home and we had to go looking for "Nonsuch", and I fell in love when I heard the first few notes of "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" emanating from the speakers in my car. XTC led me to listen to other music that I probably wouldn't have heard of if it weren't for liking their music, like They Might Be Giants, Yazbek, and Ben Folds Five.
If I hadn't met Kate, I probably never would have gone to Cancun or climbed Chichen Itza. I wouldn't have had anyone to go to the Olympics in Salt Lake City with, and there would have been no one to break up the two weeks spent vacationing with Aunt Rose in Arizona and California. I never would have visited Milwaukee several times while she was living there, and I wouldn't have gotten to go to Chicago the weekend they lit the Christmas lights with her and our other friends - I met them through her. I also wouldn't have anyone to be planning a trip to Swindon, England with for our "golden anniversary" in 23 more years.
If I hadn't met Kate, my life would definitely be very different. We have so many memories and in-jokes that would never have happened. I'm very blessed to have such a wonderful friend, and honored to have been asked to be part of her wedding. Aunt Rose was friends with "Aunt" Ginny, her best friend for over 60 years. Hopefully Kate and I will be able to beat that record - I couldn't imagine my life without her in it.
4 years ago
5 comments:
You got me teary and thinking about my BF. We haven't known each other as long as you and Kate but still we're yin and yang. Great post Jen!
awwwww you and Kate will be hanging together forever.
maybe someday you will find a post to do about me lol just kidding
Cool post! Such memories...I'm glad I have a few from hanging with you two! I'll never forget the train ride to/from Toronto, where YOU sat in the floor the whole way (your choice) .... almost missing the train because you both have no/zero/zilch sense of time! LOLOLOLOL FUN times!
Jayne, I knew there was another trip I was going to mention in the travel paragraph. Many times I have my post half thought out in my head first, and that was in my original list. Remember the choo-choo picture? :D
Having a best friend like that is really priceless. My best friend since 7th grade and I have some great memories -- but sadly, our lives have taken our friendship in a bit of a different direction. We are still close though and keep in touch a bit. I just rarely see her anymore. Sounds like you have a friend for life!
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