Isn’t friendship a wonderful gift! My dearest friend and I have been friends for 45 years, raised our children together, mourned our husbands together, celebrated our grandchildren together. Moving to Roanoke five years ago didn’t change things. We still talk on the phone and spend occasional weekends together and peruse the thrift stores. I don’t know how to do life without her. I think she feels the same.

Proverbs 27:9 reads, “A sweet friendship refreshed the soul.” I think friendship is a gift from God and a friendship rooted in God strengthens our faith and brings us joy and happiness. My dearest friend and I have a deep faith and I think we have a spiritual friendship. Jesus told the disciples to “love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” Cicero said, “True friends improve our happiness and abate misery, by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief.” My dearest friend was so supportive when Chief died, kind and quiet in her solace, always knowing when I needed her comfort.

One of my neighborhood friends died yesterday. If anyone personified a Christian life it was Karene. Always thoughtful and caring, always easing someone’s burdens, working tirelessly for her church and the Pilot Club. The kind of neighbor who sends florist flowers when you move into the neighborhood, brings homemade cookies at Christmas, turnip green soup on a cold winter day, loans us a Phillips screwdriver at 9 o’clock at night, brings a delicious chocolate cake to my daughter Rosalyn’s funeral visitation, comforts me with an understanding kindness when Chief dies. As a little girl Rosalyn love to visit Karene and play with her son, Wesley. Rosalyn always came home excited about the beer (root beer) she and Wesley drank with their snacks. Rosie asked my mother-in-law for a beer once, that’s a story for another day. Karene and I laughed many times about Rosie’s beer visits.

Karene had a terrible fall several weeks ago, breaking three vertebrae in her back, and ultimately died from a blood clot in her lung. White headed lady and I had planned a tea party to celebrate her homecoming. Oldest sister-in-law and I talked of visiting her in the nursing home during her weeks of therapy here. Karene is an angel in heaven now. I know her crown is heavy with all the stars she gathered through her days of good deeds on earth. Rest well sweet friend. We will meet again in heaven.

I think Roxanne Drury has captured the perfect definition of friendship — “Be sure to thank God for your friends, the people he has given you to walk through life with. The people who will tell you the truth, even if it hurts. The people who will listen and not judge. The people who you love and who will love you back no matter what. The people who time and distance have no hold on. The people who will make you a stronger and better person. They are a good gift.”

Friendship brings a lifetime of blessings. Our friends are our chosen family. Friends celebrate our joyous times and comfort us in our tragic times. Abraham Lincoln said, “The better part of one’s life consists in his friendships.” Friendship is a gift from God. We need to treasure our friendships with family and friends and be grateful for their blessings.

“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.” — Eleanor Roosevelt