Girl Friends

One of my earliest memories is having a neighborhood girl, who came to the door and asked to play. My mother let her in, a little four year old girl with long dark brown hair and shaggy bangs. She had a small red patent leather purse; she pulled out a card and handed it to my mother. “That is the time I have to be home!” Nancy said. We had the first of many tea parties that day. I met my first friend.

Friends bring meaning to our lives. They accept us, encourage us and at times challenge us to be better. Girlfriends are that extra special friend, for they know you, the part that makes you giggle. It really doesn’t matter how old you become, there is really nothing like a good laugh with a girlfriend. It has been said that laughter is the best medicine; I believe this to be true. 

Geri had arranged for a group of grade school and high school classmates to meet up on Friday night. I was so excited to see Geri, Theresa and Tina sitting in the restaurant booth when I walked in; it had been over 20 years since we had seen each other. Your human existence is validated with old friends. I believe there is just something about the depth of years that the soul understands. 

We were fortunate that six grown women, that had attended the same grade school and high school, were able to meet and reconnect again. In a city the size of Phoenix, I don’t know many people, that have attended school for twelve years together. We were the lucky ones. 

The lucky ones attended schools along the 202 freeway located between Tempe and downtown Phoenix. We went to Balsz Elementary School which you can see as you drive along the 202; it sits just north of the freeway at 44^th Street. You actually drive through the football field of our old East High School. Our high school was torn down many years ago. Our high school was located at 48th Street, just south of today’s 202 freeway. For college, Arizona State University is located by driving east along the 202. Not many people can say that they attended school along the 202 freeway. 

Six grown women shared stories of fellow grade school classmates, we wondered where some of our friends were today. We attempted to piece together our past as if it was a life jigsaw puzzle. We laughed deeply about our silly antics of classroom lessons,playground follies, team sports, old boyfriends, lost loves, band, pom and cheer, football games were just some of our high school discussions.  We had teachers that loved us and dedicated their selves to us. It was interesting to find how we had made our way in the world. 

We grew up in a strange time. We were too young for the 1960’s, so we couldn’t wear hip hugger pants, unless you wore a shirt tucked into them. Hip hugger pants went below the belly button, so the shirt defeated the purpose of exposing the belly. Young grade school girls were not allowed to dress with their body showing; yes we had a dress code at our school. 

We missed the impact of the 1970’s, so most of our friends didn’t experiment with drugs, we just weren’t cool enough. Now I am not saying that they didn’t exist, it is just the group of people that I spent time with, didn’t associate themselves with drugs.

We graduated in 1979, not quite the 1980’s, so we weren’t wild or hip and we didn’t wear neon colors. All of the Madonna, Cindy Lauper or the Cars influence came later in the 1980’s. No we were the preppy ones; we wore top siders, button down shirts, khaki’s slacks, the classic tailored look. This time period that we grew from wise senior high school graduates into young adults, reflected our being raised by parents from the 1950’s. 

My girlfriends are accomplished, dedicated and talented women. They love with the depth of their souls: their families, their children, nephews and nieces. They love fiercely!

It is only while attending grade school or high school that you are with your own age group. This time passes so quickly. The rest of our lives we are thrown into a variety of a mix of ages, a multitude of generations. It is with deep satisfaction and admiration to spend time with those that you have grown up with and it feels like coming home to be with those in your age group. For a while the years fade and you are once again a young person. 

So this week I hope to encourage anyone with an old cherished grade school or high school friend, to get back in touch with them. Share a laugh over some coffee, meet for dinner,  attempt to call them and in the least find them on Facebook. If you are one of the blessed ones and have a girlfriend, I challenge you to find her and whether local or far away tell her that you miss her and share a giggle.