My Best Friend’s Birthday Getaway
I would like you to meet my “Kindred Spirit”, Amanda. She gave me these framed photo booth pics this week, which capture the heart of our almost 20 years of friendship. For her birthday, her husband sent ME on a plane as a surprise! We call each other frequently, but it’s been many years since a visit so this was extra special. Last time I came, Amanda had just had her first baby and her husband was about to be deployed—that baby is now 8 years old, and with a younger sibling I finally met!
A bosom friend—an intimate friend, you know—a really kindred spirit to whom I can confide my inmost soul.
Anne of Green Gables
Amanda and Kat Then
We met at the tender age of 15, and have been through the growing pains of self discovery, love, and heartbreak in school, service, family life, and everything in between. Amanda taught me many things, but most of all she built my confidence in myself and has always been a good example to me of true friendship. She made time and space in her life for me, and I did the same. She knows all of me, and has accepted and loved my true self always—isn’t that what a true friend is? Even though we are very different, we’ve gone through a lot of the same things (many concurrently), which makes our friendship extremely strong despite distance. It makes me think we are on parallel journeys in this life going through similar phases. Just one example—our grandmothers ended up passing away around the same time; somehow knowing that we could comfort each other because we were going through it right now together made it bearable. Even today we are both busy with personal endeavors and kids going back to school. Always connected in our parallel journeys.
Amanda and Kat Now
How fortunate to have a life rich with well made friendship! We didn’t have to do anything fancy to have a great time together! We exchanged gifts that we’ve been saving for each other over the years, talked for hours in her office that she gave me a tour of, visited the John Wayne museum, went Antique shopping, stopped at McDonalds, and she encouraged me to try raw sushi again after I haven’t had it for years haha! We went souvenir shopping, picked up junk food and watched random movies on Netflix until way past our Mommy bedtimes. I had so much fun with us just chatting away, marveling at the fact that she was right there next to me instead of hundreds of miles across the screen on the other side of the country! We laughed until our sides hurt, and even got vulnerable. Super stoked we’re planning our next Birthday Trip.
Open When Letters
I miss her so very much! Since my visit was short, I knew that leaving her with something might make it last a little longer. I made her custom cards with gifts that she could open in situations that I planned for- like her actual birthday- and times we all go through like stress or needing encouragement.
It’s been really unique basing these cards on all of our experiences together enough to be able to write them beforehand, and making them meaningful exchanges. Even if our lives take very sharp turns away from each other, Amanda has and always will be my Soul Sister. I hope she had an amazing birthday!!
Love,
Kat
