Hard to Find, Harder to Lose, Impossible to Forget

Let me share with you a few quotes about friendship that really speak to me.

"A friend is someone who knows the song of your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words."
"A friend is one who believes in you when you have ceased to believe in yourself."
"A hug is worth a thousand words; a friend is worth more."
"A friend is someone who knows all about you and loves you anyway."
"Everyone hears what you say; friends listen to what you say; good friends listen to what you don't say."
"A friend is someone who reaches for your hand but touches your heart."

Why all the quotes about friendship?  Well, the past two weekends have reminded me of how wonderful my friends are and what a difference they make in my life.

Last Saturday, I was able to attend Leah's birthday party.  Leah is one of my best friends from high school, but we have seen very little of each other since we both graduated and began attending separate universities.  Last Saturday was the first time I've seen Leah personally in several months, possibly a year or more.  Seeing her again soothed something inside me that had been aching to see her for a long time.  We promised each other that we would make an effort to see each other more often, and I hope that happens.  But even if it doesn't, I was so glad I was able to see her again then.

Then last Sunday, I was able to spend a great deal of time with my friend Lisa.  Originally she was going to be one of my roommates in the fall, but now she's planning to go on a mission, so I won't have the privilege to actually live in the same apartment with her.  However, we have been able to spend a lot of time together when I have visited Provo for church, and I've even stayed over at her apartment before, which is always fun.  We had a blast playing music, talking, laughing, and just enjoying each other's company.

Then I spent the evening in the company of another dear friend.  We attended a fireside together, and then I visited her apartment to just talk for a few minutes.  She listened as I talked about some of the struggles I'm going through and was able to offer me some comfort and perspective that I really needed.  This same friend had also previously obeyed some promptings she had received, and her obedience had blessed me at that time just as my time with her that evening blessed me.  Spending time with those two friends made my Sunday so incredibly wonderful; my friends are some of the biggest reasons that I look forward to Sundays with such anticipation.

This weekend has only served to add to my gratitude for wonderful friends.  This time, I spent my Saturday and part of my Sunday mostly in the company of Jill, who really is going to be my roommate in the fall.  :)  I got to get to know her family a little better, see the new Winnie the Pooh movie with her (as the two of us share a passion for Disney movies, it only seemed right that we should see this together :)), and stay up late into the night talking to her about anything and everything.  I have also discovered something through Jill: you know you have a good friendship with someone when you can be in a car together on the way to whatever event (church in this case), say almost nothing to each other the entire trip, and still have the silence be completely comfortable.  :)  I'm really looking forward to being her roommate in the fall.  We'll see how long it takes for her to get sick of me when we're actually living under the same roof.  ;)

But that's the great thing about good friends.  They know all about you, spend a great deal of time with you, and despite all your quirks and weird eccentricities (and sometimes because of them), they still love you and want to be your friend.  That's how I feel about my friends, both the ones I've mentioned here and many others who have blessed my life beyond anything I can express.  I hope I am half the friend to them that they are to me.  To all my friends out there, thank you for your friendship!  I love you all!