BFFs

You know, I've been thinking a lot about the word "Friend", lately. Dictionary.com defines the word 'friend' as

1 a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.

2.a person who gives assistance; patron; supporter:

3. a person who is on good terms with another; a person who is not hostile:

We see that word on social network sites all the time. If you are 'friends' on Facebook, I feel that it doesn't necessarily mean you are actually friends. I mean people use Facebook, Twitter, and all kinds of social networking to be hostile to each other; they use it to stalk, or check up on people, just to be nosy. And you know that the relationship is SO not official until your status says you are now 'in a relationship'. But those are just labels. I mean What REALLY makes a friend, a friend??? 

I have been blessed  in my life to know what real friendship is. To know that I have people in my life that I can truly count on. People say you only can have one best friend, but I feel like that's not true. There are so many different facets of your life that I feel you need multiple people to be in those certain areas. For example, Justin, my future-groom is one of my best friends. He knows me better than anyone on this earth. And while I CAN talk to him about anything---some stuff he just does not care about (namely, shoes, purses, Zac Efron, and that latest gossip around town). That's stuff that is just not interesting to him. Which is where my other best friends come in. There's only a few and they are very special to me, but I am going to highlight just one in this post. (more to come later). 

I have known this person for about 4 years. She was one of the first people that I got to know when I went to work at Gaffney Middle. Kim (Starnes) Blanton has been my rock through all kinds of messes in 4 years. Sometimes, we get those friends who say they will be there when the going gets rough and then it does and for some reason they can't handle it and just look the other way when it happens--Kim is not one of these people. It doesn't matter what time of day, what I need, when I need it, she has been faithfully there. I literally can call her and she will stop what she is doing just so I can 'vent' about something. She can do the same to me. She has never let me down--not one time. If I am sick and need lesson plans done, I can text her and they get done. She isn't even on the same hall as me anymore but if I need her she comes-a-running. There is a 'slight' age difference between us but I think that's why it works. We are both teachers and God knows I am still learning stuff. She's been teaching for 14 years and if I have a question, she always has an answer. And those answers are always truthful--even if its not what I want to hear. We got really close in a short amount of time and the trust between us in unlike something I haven't ever had with a friend who is a girl. Ya'll know girls cause drama and like to talk but I have YET had it happen with Kim, and I don't ever think it will happen. She even trusted me enough to direct and pretty much plan her wedding! (Even with a few meltdowns--we did it!) I guess if I had one word to describe her it would be 'constant'. She is the same person with everyone around her. There is not another face that she turns on---you get what you get. I feel like we all need a little more of that pure, honest, down to earth personality here on earth a little bit more. And I am completely and utterly grateful to have had a friendship like hers. My wish for everyone who may read this is that you have someone in your life like Kim. She is good people. :)