Friends

Friends are an essential ingredient when living life. They hold your memories, remind you of who you are and occasionally, why you matter.
The last part is especially important if you happen to be a parent and you spend many of your waking hour with a CLOSED FOR REPAIRS sign on your brain.
My closest friend left me a voicemail recently: "I'm sitting here drinking wine, wrapping presents and listening to Journey and I'm thinking of you."
I keep recycling this.
It means the world to mean.
My husband would NEVER do this.
My mom is fabulous for long conversations and advice.
But my friends, especially this friend, they get me.
They understand the joy of a foolish voicemail, the silliness of toy chickens that squawk, really great books that arrive in the mail...(maybe they're not sure if you've read them but they take the chance) and why is it my friends Christmas cards are always the first to arrive?
Family, can't live with them, certainly can't live without them.
Friends, without a doubt can't live without them.