YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE FRIENDS

In the past several years, my husband and I have gone through lots of good times, some bad times, and a multitude of stresses. Without revealing what the subject matter of these times were about, I wanted to take a minute to let you know how much I value the people in my life. More specifically, my friends. I am a pretty independent lady. I love to be alone. I could spend days at a time reading a book in a room and never leaving.  I could probably go forever without making a phone call to the outside world. My best friend is my husband. Without question, he is the most extraordinary person in my life. (Sorry, my beautiful girls: I adore you both more than you can possibly imagine, but I always know he's the one person who's got my back every minute of every day).
   And now, I need and want to give a shout out to the others in my life.  From college until now, I have amassed an amazing group of friends. Seriously, I am overly blessed in this arena. Usually, one does not find out who their friends are until illness happens. Yet, during one of the happiest times of my life, while planning my youngest daughter's upcoming wedding, I have come to realize how fortunate I am. Yes, this is an exciting and happy time, but it has also been filled with financial budgets and emotional stresses as well.  I wouldn't have the time or the words to acknowledge each and everyone of you that have been there for me on a daily basis not only for the last year, but for the last 30 years.  You must know who you are. Whether it's lunch at the diner, or the daily 5pm call during while we're making dinner, or saving the world under "the trees", or the offers to help me or to transport my family when life is a little too hectic for all of us, or the friday night drink and dinner(mostly drink!), or the planning and giving of my daughter's bridal shower,  or listening on a daily basis to the 900th detail I need to obsess about so it will be absolutely perfect for my exquisite bride's wedding day, or  just sitting with me by a Palm Beach Pool until 2 am and discussing what we still don't know about each other........I know you are ALWAYS there.
   You  make my heart swell. The love I feel for all of you cannot be expressed. I feel incredibly blessed to have each and everyone of you in my life.  Most importantly, you make me feel loved from my head to my toes. And that is exactly the definition of what a friend does: they make you feel loved all the time, no matter what. I thank you and love you from the bottom of my heart. 
                                       One b