Friends are my Greatest Fortune

Everyone who knows me well knows that I don't differentiate between family and friends. On the contrary, I believe that friends are the family we choose - and do choose of our own free will. I cherish the wonderful people who have come into my life throughout the years.

Although I work hard to cultivate relationships, I've made my share of mistakes. And there are times that people just aren't meant to be together. As we grow and change we don't always grow in the same direction.

Even when I've been the one to choose to separate from a friend, it's caused me great pain to know that our paths were diverging. 

I made a layout last year with our GRACE kit to explore my feelings about the loss of some valuable friendships over a long period of time...one in 2000, one in 2005 and one in 2008.

And another close friend chose to depart the scene soon after this LO was made...I wondered if I needed to add her to the page.

I like to think that the universe removes relationships that no longer serve us and brings back what we need when we need it.

In the last few months, I've been blessed to reconnect with two of the friends pictured above, and the one who almost made the add on...hearts opened on both sides, and, with time ever marching on, we remembered the value of deep and decades-long friendships. In the interim, marriages ended, some began, careers changed, children were conceived, pets were lost and adopted...and we had missed the opportunity to share our joy, our grief and our human experience with each other.

One of those children was born yesterday, and although the rebuilding of that friendship is still in its early stages, I'm feeling fortunate that I have the opportunity to really see whether our new lives are a fit and our paths are truly crossing for our benefit once more.

Because with that sweet new baby girl, with those beloved new spouses and cherished new companion animals, new family is born. Their families, my family, the family I choose to enrich my life.

So what's your greatest FORTUNE? Put it out there, open your heart, take responsibility for whatever part you've played in the separations you've experienced. Express it on a LO during your creative time this weekend, and maybe the good FORTUNE of loving friends will visit you too. 

I sure hope so!

Wishing you a weekend filled with love and creativity.