"...and friends are friends forever, if the Lord's the Lord of them..."

Is there anyone out there who remembers these words from a once popular Christian song called "Friends"? It was the thing when I was in high school, oh so long ago. As a choir student, we had MANY opportunities to sing this little ditty. It has a pretty good message and is dripping with cheese. Well, while in high school (junior high, actually) I was thrown in a ward with a group of then girls, now women, whom I would soon call my friends. Now, 18 years later, I still call these women my friends.

As the years have passed we have accomplished much. 4 of the 6 of us served missions. 5 of us are married. 4 of us have children. 5 of us have attended college but only 2 of us have graduated (so far!). All 6 of us have lived life to its fullest and have tried to stay up with natural ebb and flow of life.

It is with this last bit that I plead my case. The natural ebb and flow of life...

I have been found guilty of not staying in touch with my favorite women these past couple of years. In the whole scheme of things, 18 years that is, 2 years is a small number to dicker with (historically, I was the one always in touch and in the know). But, it seems to have caused rifts that I am unsure of how to fix. It makes me sad. While leaving out the gory details, I will say the last 2 years have been so much for me that I have gone into a shell of sorts. I can feel this shell around me. I don't really like it. In 2008 I want to shed the shell and get back in touch. This is where you come in.

How?

My husband got a call from an old high school friend just 2 days ago. It was as if no time had passed (it's actually been 18 months). They talked and laughed and had a great time for those 35 minutes. (Men have a way of forgetting everything. This is both a strength and a weakness, depending on which side of the fence you are on.) I want this same unconditional treatment. As women we tend to put conditions on things. We strive to be open and condition free, but it's not in our nature. We remember... everything. (This is both a strength and a weakness, depending on which side of the fence you are on.) My hope is that my friends will forgive and forget these past two years. The natural ebb and flow of my life kept me from my friends. I hope this can change.

What are my chances?

How long is too long before reconnecting with a friend?

Have I accidentally flushed some of the most important women in my life?

I can hardly bear the thought...