I just read an article entitled, “Why Women Need Their Girlfriends“.  It was in the Huffington Post.

I have to admit that I’ve been blessed with some great girlfriends; but this article got me thinking, trying to analyze and ultimately categorize them. Sadly, I also realized that I lost a few wonderful friends along the way.

I have a laundry list of what I call work pals, though sometimes I call them colleagues. They are there usually for only as long as I work there, but several of these girls became life-long friends.

I met Dianne at my first ever full-time job. Actually, we met in college, just a year before.  We both went to work for the same company.  Now 40 years later, we live about thirty minutes apart; but we have tried to get together about once a year for lunch ever since. She was there for me when I went through my divorce in the 1970s. She actually hid me at her home so I wouldn’t have to talk to him until I was ready.  When Dianne and I have lunch, it is like we were never apart.

Another work colleague/pal that I met over 25 years ago was Lisa.  We were inseparable until I changed jobs. We settled about 40 miles apart, but we still talked on the phone frequently.  Until the day Lisa passed away, she could make me laugh like no other person on earth except maybe my dad. I truly miss both of them.  I know if those two ever meet in heaven, Katie bar the door.

In some ways I think these women knew me best. They knew me well and how I held up under the pressures of the workplace and the pressures of relationships.

I’ve also been fortunate to have at least one life-long friend, literally. Brenda and I played together as toddlers. Our families lived next door to each other, and we were friends before kindergarten.  I remember being jealous when others wanted to be Brenda’s friend once we got into school.  We were the same age.  Brenda was popular, and she attracted friends easier than I did.  I wasn’t jealous of Brenda, but instead jealous that others were getting closer to her than myself.  I got over it sometime before sixth grade.  Today, she lives about an hour and a half away; and it is always good to get together.   Brenda probably knows me as well as anyone.

School friends?  Many have been there since kindergarten.  I went  through school with many of the same kids, since we lived in a small town with only one school, K-12, for the entire county.

Brenda, Melanie, Sandy, Kathleen, Carol, Judy, Marsha, Tonya, Lucy, Sherry and too many more to name here–we were like siblings.  In fact, we think this is why none of us kids who went all the way through school together ever married.  Sadly, we lost Melanie last May and Tonya a few years before Melanie.

We went to school and played together day in and day out for almost twelve years.  All of us shared our experiences with birthday parties, dating, boyfriends, who likes who, proms and dances, school activities and clubs, dance classes, cheerleader tryouts, The Monkeys, sleep overs, staying out all night, our first taste of wine and beer, and so much more.  I skipped twelfth grade and moved on to college life, but just about every five years my class gets together to remember.  I look on all of these classmates as golden friends from those golden years long past.

Another group are the women and me who were thrown together by the joys of raising our children.  My friend Jeannie fits wonderfully in this category.  She also became my tennis partner.  We were like the “yayas” in the movie.  We spent long warm days watching our kids swim while we hung out near by at the beach, at the river, or by the two ponds at her home.

Those two ponds were connected by pipes under a berm.  We were there one day on a deck overlooking the ponds, when I noticed that the kids would be in one pond and then the other without crossing the berm, so she and I both got real interested in what they were doing.  Turns out they were swimming through one of those underwater pipes.  I still cringe at the thought of one of them getting stuck or running into a gator or moccasin in there.

Jeannie and I were closest when our children were youngsters; but we drifted away especially when I remarried after my divorce.  We would still get together now and then to reminisce, but Jeannie passed away over a decade ago.  Jeannie was a wonderful listener, and someone who excelled in conversation.  She had a unique way of asking just the right question and engaging me in dialogue.   She probably should have charged me a psychological consultant’s fee when I was going through my divorce.

I have one friend that I met through my husband.  She is married to my husband’s long-time friend.  Pam is one of the most inclusive people I’ve ever met.  She loves to include everyone, and I rejoice about this part of her.   She actually started a group called “Girl Party”, which meets about three times a year at her home.  It is simply her girlfriends and anyone else they want to invite.  We bring salads and drink wine.  I love it, and especially because I meet new friends.

Two of my closest friends are my little sisters.   Seriously, I don’t think I have a middle sister, since my little sister Pam was over twelve years old before my other little sister Linda was born.   I miss seeing Pam, because she lives all the way up in North Carolina; but Linda, otherwise known as Precious, lives right here in Tallahassee.  I love to have lunch with her and share our holidays with her and her family.   If I want to see Pam, I have to go up there.  Pam, though, is about to come to my house in a few weeks so I’m real excited.

And I have a sister-in-law who I have come to value and appreciate greatly.  She is more sensitive than me or my sisters.   I came from a family that wasn’t into the “physical touch” aspect of caring, but Susan is.  We are more of an “acts of service” type people.  I believe we need the Susans in our life when everything comes crashing down.  She give great hugs and awesome back rubs.

Finally, I have a best friend.   I was blessed with a wonderful partner for life.  He is not a girlfriend, but he’s my sweetheart.  Chuck is my confidant and my rock.  I hope he’s with me for a long, long time to come; but just in case I will have a few friends to call if needed.