July 28th

As I sand my fingertips away with anxiety and sadness that I am 16 days late. Late for my best friends birthday. I feel like the rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date. I feel worse, so I am trying to make a special gift. Something special and unique. Something she will treasure for the rest of her life, but no matter how much I sand and paint and glue it just looks like a silly gift from a 5 year old. I can’t give this to her, I am thinking to my self, what am I going to do? Another day is going to go by and I don’t have anything. I am going to loose my membership as Summer’s BEST FRIEND. Gary herds me to the couch and tells me he will help me figure something out (he is good at making me feel better and making me more calm).

The gift I was making said “You are my sunshine.” I have wanted to make this for her for a long time. This phrase always makes me think of SUMMER. Lot’s of phrases and words do. I guess after 22 years of friendship of BEST friendship there would be a lot of things that remind you of someone… So you would think getting her a gift would not be a challenge. But for some reason this year I did not have my s*%t together (yes I did just write that).

For as long as I can remember Summer and I have been making each other gifts or writing stories and poems about each other. She has always been better at this than me. She is the writer and the creative thinker. I think Paho and Skye drained all the creative juices from my parents before I was made (hence the kindergarten style gift I was attempting this year). I sill have all the things she has made and wrote for me. They are gifts I will treasure for the rest of my life. The most creative thing I remember writing for Summer was…

“we’re like two peas in a pod, like two cherries on a tree…”

That’s it, and then the magic was gone. I had nothing else to write. I think I may have attempted to finish the poem, I don’t remember for sure. But isn’t that how friendships go. The two people bring out the best each other; they give to each other what the other person is lacking. We may not be two peas in a pod or two cherries on a tree anymore. We have evolved into two pretty different women. But we are closer than ever. In all our years of friendship there isn’t a difference that would make our friendship less sincere. I appreciate her kindness, generosity, discipline, and open-mindedness more than ever. I rely on her advice and support.


“You are my sunshine.” I wanted to make this for you, because it’s true. You have always been my sunshine, supporting my every move in every single phase of my life. You are my sunshine, because you can make me laugh so hard I snort. You are my sunshine because when I am around you I can’t help but feel completely comfortable. You are my sunshine because no matter where life takes us the light of our friendship is as strong as the sunshine. You are my sunshine, because even if I gave you my kindergarten-esc sign, you would put it up and truly appreciate it.