Power of Friendship

Jude & Alicia - First Communion
St. Peter's Church - Saratoga Springs, NY

Alicia and I have been friends for over 40 years.  I like to call her my 'oldest' friend, but that's only because it's a special joke between us because she's almost exactly 6 months older than I am.  She's happy when my birthday rolls around so we're the 'same' age again.

I know I've referenced her before .. our friendship has endured many years, marriages, children, moves to different states - even lived in the same state but decades apart, book club, and lots of coffee dates.  Alicia is not only my oldest friend, she was my very first best friend.

As kids we were next door neighbors and we'd have sleepovers, make forts, sing songs to the radio, have crushes on boys like Frank D'Andrea and Kevin LeRoux.  We've stayed in touch and can pick up whenever the opportunity occurs without hesitation.

Alicia and I both lost our dads at an early age.  Our moms remarried and our lives carried on.  She married Shaun and then Trevor and Brendon made their family complete.  She shared them all with me.  I've always been so happy for her.  What a terrific family.

We now share another thing in common.  The father that raised her died today, as did Al last year.  Her dad was affectionally referred to as Knobby.  He owned the Singer Sewing store in Pyramid Mall when we were kids.

Alicia was the person I was with when my dad got sick when I was 7 years old.  She was the one who told me everything would be alright.  Her parents were back-up for mine when all that was happening.  They were a safe place to go - lots of kids, food and noise to blend into.

Her dad gave my mom a job as a bookkeeper after my dad died.  Her dad was a good man, with a kind heart and a sweet smile.  He was quiet and caring.  The kind of dad that always had all these kids around him.

I know he knew how much his family and friends loved him.  That's the important part.

Keep telling people what they mean to you.  It will mean more to them to hear it now than for you to wish you'd said something sooner.

Alicia knows I love her too.  She's my oldest and dearest friend .. and our coffee date is long overdue.