My Old Friend Jaleea

Among all of the things considered good fortune, I've decided that having friends is among the greatest. The irony of this, is that in the past I've been a terrible friend. It just wasn't something that came naturally to me. I changed schools quite frequently as a child, so meeting new people, forming bonds, and then never seeing those people again was my norm. It was all I knew and I carried this behavior on with me into my teen and young adult years. I have lost touch with friends, knowing that I would make new ones. I've hurt my friends, oblivious to rules and regulations of lasting friendships. To say that I've been a terrible friend is probably an understatement.

.

I can't say enough how fortunate I was to have met Jaleea. Unlike me she had the "How to be Good Friend Manual!!" memorized. She made sure we were friends when it was convenient, having attended middle school together. She maintained our friendship when it was inconvenient, going to different high schools. When it would have been a perfect time to drift apart, while away at college she actually strengthened our friendship. When she was home to visit she called, when she was in town for a performance she made sure I had tickets. She took an active interest in being a part of my world and pulled me into hers in the process.

Throughout my years of friendship with Jaleea I began to see the value in knowing the same people year after year. Watching their stories unfold and their lives change. It was rewarding to reach out to someone when I was thinking of them, instead of just letting them be a passing thought. I saw how much it meant to them to know that someone was thinking of them and that someone cared. It was, I realized, what I wanted my life to be about. Caring about people, letting them know you care about them, free of judgement and aspiring to at all times inspire good feelings in others. I wanted to be a good friend!

.

It wasn't until a few years ago that I even realized this. When social networking sites like Facebook and Myspace became popular, when I added my "friends" to my profile, I noticed that most of them I was still in constant contact with. I knew where they lived, their children's names, their dog's names, their spouse's names, even their parent's names. I was amazed and secretly pleased with myself for having built and maintained these fabulous friendships with some really exceptional people!!

You know who you are ladies and gentleman. I wanted to take this opportunity to not only thank my old friend Jaleea for teaching me how to be a friend, but also to thank my friends for allowing me to be. I love you all!