Reach out and touch faith

I know this seems an odd video for Valentine's day, but hear me out.

I was driving along the other day and listening to this song on my ipod. And I was thinking about my friends--the women who are on the other side of a phone or an email--the women who make it possible for me to reach out and touch faith. I'm really lucky, I think, although most of my dearest friends live a long distance from me. And so, today, I am going to introduce my blog friends to my BFF's.

I think the BFF I've known the longest (and someone who is familiar to many of you) is

Michelle (aka Sojourner).

Michelle and I have known each other since 1982, I think. 1981? While she lives in frigid Omaha, and it's been more than ten years since I've seen her, she and I still talk and instant message fairly frequently. This friend has the distinct honor of being the only friend I have who is actually shorter than me.

The next BFF disappeared from my life for a couple of years, but she recently emailed me and we've reconnected. This is an old picture of my friend Tanith at Big Bend National Park. We took a vacation there one very cold December (well, it was cold at night). When we spoke last week, I said, "I thought I'd lost you." "You can never lose me," she replied. It's a good thing.

BFF #3 (this is chronological, by the way, not in any order of importance--how can you rank the people you love?) is Gini.(pictured here with my dog Alice).

Gini lives in Joliet IL now, and I am horrible about keeping in touch with her, but I do love this woman. She has been a great friend and saved my life and my sanity more than a few times when I was taking care of Mom.

Of course, most of you know BFF#4

Heidi

As with all the women above, Heidi has loved me through the best and the worst that life can bring. I cannot imagine life without my many best friends. I simply don't know that I could survive the slings and arrows without them.

Speaking of arrows, I would be remiss if I did not mention the BFF who was brought to me with cupid's arrow.

Susan and I have been together now for three years (with time off for bad behavior). She has been generous and loving to me and has been a "forgiver," as the song says. Life with her is often richer than I could possibly imagine. And when it's not? It's still rich. And we're never bored!

I have been blessed with many friends who make my life sweet. Many of you are reading this post. But these five women. . . well, these five women are my valentines.

With all of my heart, dears.