Friends

Today is my very, very dear friend Stephen's birthday.  Now before you go and get any funny ideas - Stephen is happily married to another dear friend of mine, Todd.

From the outside looking in our lives look polar opposite.  Stephen drives in the fast lane, and I mean a Ferrari on the Audubon fast lane.  I am in the car pool lane about to get in an accident because I am turning around to clean up some sort of goo my kids spilled all over the back seat.

Stephen is highly successful - he is a business owner, extremely creative and talented.  He is an interior designer and creates beautiful spaces in all of the nicest homes and businesses here.  He helps with city planning and hob knobs at the nicest fundraisers.  He knows practically everyone in town and lives in the most amazing house I have ever seen.  He has lavish parties and jet sets often (he is now snowboarding with friends in Tahoe).  

So how, you might ask, did a catholic, middle class, house wife, stay at home mother of 2 become such good friends with an upper class, openly gay, worldly, party guy?  Well, we did meet at the club and we both teach BodyJam and BodyFlow together but that is not why we are friends. Our differences bring us together -  along with our similarities.  We both love life and want to live it to the fullest.  We might go about it differently but that hardly matters.  We have mutual respect for one another.  I am happy for him and he is happy for me.  We never run out of things to say and sometimes we talk for hours (which frustrates John and Todd on occasion - sorry).

Happy Birthday Stephen.  I love you because you are...

Compassionate - to even that scared little new person in the corner of Jam class.

Generous - beyond measure of your time, talent and your treasure.

Talented  - in all things artful and with people.

Graceful - You handle high pressure situations with ease and dance through life.

Positive - even though you have been through some very dark times you always see the light.

My friend - I know you would do anything for me, and you know I would do anything for you.

You are a true friend, a gift that was brought to me for a reason.  Some people glide in and out of our lives but you are here to stay.  You may drive your fancy Mercedes in the fast lane but I know my VW can keep up (and maybe pass you).......... even from the carpool lane ;)