I LOVE MY FRIENDS

There are just too many pictures to choose from, too many friends too many years.  So instead I'll steal a quote I first read on a brother of a friends Facebook status and once posted as my own status it popped up so many more times on my feed clearly ringing "true" with my friends.

"They say true friends can go long periods of time without speaking and never question the friendship.  These types of friends pick up as if they have spoken yesterday, regardless of how long it's been or how far away they live and don't hold grudges.  They understand life is busy but you will ALWAYS love them"

I think of my friends like one huge ancient tree.  There are those at the core, the 'roots' who ground and support everything.  From these roots I have been lucky to meet new people and grow so many boughs of friendship in turn sprouting more branches and more twigs.  As I move forward with my journey through the forest of life every year there are new people introduced, new buds and flowers and fruits of friendships.  Some of these will run their course, a season or two then fall away from the tree to distance and set their own roots growing.  However never forgotten and often branches will cross entwining again as our trees grow into the future. Then there are those buds of friendship which grow to be big fat branches becoming like supports to the whole.

Each of these buds, roots, branches, boughs or leaves are all equally as important.  Each serving there own purpose, some for the big moments, holding me steady through storms.  Others to decorate my life with frivolous laughter, joy and joviality, those to break and fall with me.

Then there are those for all of the above.

Many of these amazing people I call by names other then there own actual name.  Nicknames some would say I however prefer 'terms of endearment' ;-)
These names all came from somewhere, some event or incident or other.  Many of which I can't remember.  One a simple childhood nick name long forgotten by most however I rarely use any other reference for her.  Another simply was a phrase adopted from the kids and again is hardly ever dropped for their true names.
I can't remember where one of the most important started but it is used so much in replacement that Molly forgets her actual name, it's even sprung a spin off term of endearment for her baby girl too.

Splats, Warlys,  Bo's, bears, Gnomeys and of course Birds, Loobells and Bumcows the list goes on.  Just know when I refer or call you by one of these strange names what I'm really saying is.

I love you
I appreciate you
you are important to me
and I am grateful every day to be blessed with you in my life and for the light you shine on this path it's taking me on xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx