Dear Mal...

Everytime I think that maybe our friendship is dying, something happens that brings us back together yet again. It's like a new day dawning. Nearly ten years since I met you and we've been through pretty much all. You never give up on me, and I never give up on you. Even when the only place we both show up together is church on Sunday mornings. I still feel like I could trust you with the world. You wrote me a letter this week and confirmed it. With us it's give and take. One's strong to help the other, even if on the inside the "strong" one isn't so strong. Then we show up in the places the other didn't expect it, like last night for instance, 66 kilometers from where I normally see you, I saw you in line and it made my night. You know some of what goes on inside my mind, and I know some off what goes on with you and that doesn't mean we run away, it actually means we build a little more trust. We both write, in different ways, but mostly get it. It's like breathing alone with help along the way. I know this is public, but I wanted you to know. I also wanted others to see how blessed I am, even if they don't know you. As you pray for me, I pray for you. Keep your own head up girl, you can conquor all. Thank you for your ever present support, the offer of your listening ear, shoulder and own experience with life. If I never said it ever, you rock. From the days of being 7 years old to now the days of being 17 (or almost!!) what's important in our lives has changed but that doesn't mean you're less important to me. Nope, actually, more. We don't like all the same things. I don't even text. (yet:P). You go to school, and I do school at home. You work at a store and I work at a daycare. We live in cities next door to each other. Compared to you I'm boy crazy....and really I'm not that bad. You love movies, and I'm just getting into them. Size doesn't matter, and that's cool. Here's you and there's me, but it really just doesn't matter. We have enough similarities to keep life interesting. Like trying to figure out what to do with our lives and seeking God and what He wants and what is this deal anyways? And shopping...our mutual love of life, including shoes. We should do that again sometime soon I think. Thanks Mal, for being there, for the long haul. Thanks for writing poetry and making me think. Thanks for sharing life. I am quite sure this is not the end.

Love, Kathleen

PS. I really like your hair right now.
PPS. I hope you're okay that I said this all out loud.