**GIRLFRIENDS**

Earlier this morning I had a *chat* with a friend,Aurelia-we met maybe 7 years ago-online -in a webGROUP for black woman......we sporadically stayed in touch through the board with maybe the odd mail over the years-until she found me on FB & we have been in touch almost EVERYDAY since......it's funny because we've never met in person,shared a drink on a Friday night or even chatted on the phone-yet I feel like I've known her FOREVER........it got me thinking about the importance of having girlfriends....

My life thus far has been a great ride........I've lived in several continents,holidayed in awesome places & seen many beautiful things-from the Louvre to the wild animals in Africa,from the amazing skylight in Hong Kong to the balmy beaches in Phillippines.......but the real highlight of it all was the AMAZING GIRLFRIENDS I've met along the way.......

What would we be without them??our sisters, not by blood but the ones we picked as family ourselves......?!

Whether you met in a grocery store,hotel lobby or simply through mutual friends.....that instantaneous bond you made......be it over the same taste in shoes,the love of art,travel.........or dare I say it-good food!!!....lol

With 4 children it's never been too difficult for me to make friends-you meet new people at school functions/meetings all the time......sometimes you CLICK othertimes you simply DON'T........& that's okay too......Like my wise hubby always say-*NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO LIKE YOU & YOU ARE NOT GOING TO LIKE EVERYONE *.....

As I sit here sipping my cuppa I can visualize a friend from my teenage phase to my current life phase.......take Charlene for instance-we met in high school,fell pregnant about the same time,I moved countries a few times but after 20 odd years we are still in touch-sharing in each others lives- time only making the bond deeper & stronger,

then there's Fifi-we met many moons ago in church,we both have an affinity to party & make things beautiful & happy.....:),

then there's Marie-we met when hubby took a job in China-she's a lass from Sunderland,me a kid from Cape Town-we formed a bond over a bottle of Jack Daniels for me & VODKA for her-less calories you see.......:)-we use to sneak away every Wed morning on a ferry from China to HK to go shopping......lol-our poor husbands.......

then there's Kenna-we met in MRU.....two african gals,married to two blokes from the UK,7kids between us.......instant friends.She taught me to be more calm & I showed her how to toughen up a bit.....lol-we talk on the phone as often as we can & the funny thing is we never run out of things to say.......

& then the most recent ones I've met in the past 8months........who continue to take me under their wings until I get truly settled...the ones who allow me to dance wildly,sing karaoke like I'm on tour in Vegas......& just let me be ME......:)

To GIRLFRIENDS........near or far.........the ones you have met in person & the ones you plan to....