My Three Best Friends

This post is not about running or physical health, it’s about three people that for a majority of my life have been there. This is my small token of appreciation for all their awesomeness and love:

I am truly a lucky woman. I have not one, but three best friends. I have several other very close friends as well. I have chosen to dedicate this blog to my three best friends, R, J and M or as I often refer to them my tribunal. I love them so much, and the three of them are so different, yet not and give me three great perspectives on life.

Here we all are! J, me, R and M

So first, my oldest and dearest friend, R. R and I met in elementary school but really became close in high school. We have been friends ever since. We have been college roommates, roommates, moved across the country with each and from each other. We have been there for each other through births, deaths, marriages and everything else. We can talk daily or go days without talking, but we are always there for each other. If needed, we would drop everything to be there for the other person. When I told her I was getting married, she said, “I don’t care if it’s the Justice of the Peace, if you are actually getting married; I am going to be there”, invited herself to my ceremony and flew out. Even today I cannot actually express in words what it meant to have her there with me that day. (She is also how I met my husband, so talk about owing her big time). She is now a mom and watching her with her daughter amazes me to see this completely different side to her. She is truly amazing. She also came to Disneyland to cheer me on at my first ever half marathon when I ran Tinkerbell in 2012.

Next up, J. I have to laugh at how we met. We met through a mutual friend at a local hole in the wall bar. Honestly, we knew each other, but never put extra effort into hanging out regularly. Oddly, when that mutual friend was getting married and J and I were in the wedding together is when we truly bonded. We seriously were emailing throughout the day at work all the time (until she left corporate America). We still talk often and share a true love of dogs. She is a hobby breeder and well, I am an awesome dog mom. She was not at my ceremony, but gave me my bouquet and a beautiful tile of my grandfather so he could be there with me. She also was vital in helping plan my reception for family and friends back home. I was blessed at being her matron of honor in her wedding. She also ran Tinkerbell half marathon with me (although I am pretty sure she now hates running). Every year we have attended a yoga retreat weekend in the summer, I fly home to the East Coast and we head to Delaware. We hang out with ladies all easily old enough to be our mothers and smother ourselves with mommy love, regroup and refocus our lives. They aren’t holding it this year, so we are planning our own girls’ weekend. YAY!

the photo tile she had made for me

Last, but by no means less significant, is M. He well, he is truly amazing, and is always able to make me laugh. I met him through work, he was my ad guy on a campaign we were running in a local newspaper and we really hit it off. Then, one day he emailed me and told me he thought I needed to know he was gay, and when I picked myself up off the floor, if I wanted I could email him back. I am pretty sure my response was… did I miss part of the email, what was the big scary news you had? In that moment, we truly bonded. He realized that I could care less about the fact he was gay, he was still my friend. We bond over hot guys, relationship troubles, our love of drinking and being inappropriate and well, our total awesomeness. I pick on him for being the only gay man I know that has no fashion sense. He is my conscience when I need it, and bless his heart, worries more about the big decisions I make then I do. The only reason I mentioned he is gay is because I believe it is because of that, that he has been able to truly show me what love is. This man loves his friends and family unconditionally. He grew up in a small town in no man’s land back East where being openly gay is still tricky. When we first met, I don’t even think all of his coworkers knew (how I am not sure). He is blessed with a family that truly loves him and amazing friends that support him. Being gay in a community that “frowns upon that” cannot possibly be easy. But him choosing to do so and not be ashamed; has shown to me what true strength is. He fights discrimination, bigotry and hate on a regular basis. He continuously holds his head up and loves with all his heart unapologetically. I admire his strength, determination and fearlessness. I have learned so much from him on love and life. Also, we can never again hear Dancing Queen without automatically texting each other. We giggle incessantly at the oddest things. In times of heartache and crisis, he has been an amazing friend and shoulder to cry/lean on. M also makes a fantastic road trip partner.

So there you have it… the three people in my life that help guide me, support me, love me, and keep me sane. The three people that help make me, me. Thank you for letting me share just a tiny little bit of them with you. To R, J and M… thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a part of my life. I love you more than I can say.