I have a few friends who are really more like family than friends.  They’re the good type of family, too–the ones you actually want to see on holidays and talk to when you have a few spare minutes.  Even if we go for years without seeing each other, it doesn’t make any difference.  Everything can change, but there we are together.

I was talking to one of those friends last night, and we were sharing the details of everyday life.  Things have been in flux for both of us lately.  I guess it’s that stage of life (yeah, the stage that involves perpetual change and lasts forever).  Despite the very different places that the last several years have brought us to, I have to laugh about the weird little things we have in common.  Sometimes we react exactly the same way to an event or comment, and it reminds me that beneath our semi-responsible adult facades, we’re still part of that inseparable duo from high school.

Last night’s attached at the hip moment was finding out that we’re both addicted to Cherry Coke Zero even though neither of us really drank soda back in the day.  It’s not like we have a mystical bond or a deep psychic connection.  It’s just nice that one of our bad habits is the same.

Beneath the superficial reasons that our friendship has lasted so well (not as superficial as a penchant for Cherry Coke Zero), I know that the real reason is God.  I rarely live the way I would like to or have my relationship with God in a place I’m proud of, but that’s the goal, and it’s her goal, too.

It’s so comforting to know that we can grow in different directions on the surface, but who we really are is still growing in the same direction.  And I love that our friendship is a safe place to talk about the things that are getting us closer to that ultimate goal and the ways we see ourselves utterly failing.  It isn’t formal or guilt-induced.  It just comes out between comments about small things, and I know she understands.

It makes my heart happy when we talk.  Since it’s February, month-o-love, I thought I’d share.