A best friend's story

The power to change.

That phrase may have different meanings for different people, but to a best friend, it means owning up to mistakes and taking the necessary steps to right what was wrong.

A friend may be someone you are fortunate enough to meet as early as elementary school. Maybe you tattled on a classmate in someone's defense and opened a door to a lifetime of friendship. Best friends have their fair share of ups and downs, but seem to always come back to each other. A best friend can be your support system, your confidant, or maybe she is the other half of your soul. You are grateful to have her in your life.

Sometimes in life, as good as your friendships may be, they can be taken for granted. They can become as comfortable as your favorite blue jeans and an old sweatshirt. They can be taken too casually.

Sometimes things can happen in a friendship that cause even the best of friends to stop speaking to each other. You may think the bond you share with your best friend can never be broken. And then it is. One of the best parts in your life is gone and you think there is nothing you can do about it. So you don't do anything. And neither does she. Days can even turn into years.

But a phone call can change things forever.

One day, I heard my best friend's voice after two years of silence. I thought the friendship was over. She's the one who took a chance, but together we discovered that we had the power to change. It was like we'd never been apart. It confirmed what I had known all along. We were destined to be best friends.

We spent almost every day together the first few months of our "reunion." Our husbands thought they were bachelors again but they understood that we had a lot of catching up to do. And that we did. The phone lines were on fire from Baxter to south Brainerd.

Christmas was coming and we had decided to have Christmas together with all the trimmings and, of course, the presents. We knew we had birthdays, anniversaries and other Christmases to make up for. It became a game. We began antagonizing each other with our presents, saying, "You'll have to open this one last 'cuz you're probably gonna cry." Who were we kidding? We knew we would anyway.

As the last gifts were being opened, I anticipated Patty's reaction to the gift I would give her. Her last gift to me was a beautiful hardcover book entitled "Best Friends." It included stories about famous and not-so-famous people and their best friends. I cried. She cried. It was a moment I'll never forget.

My gift was a poem I wrote, which I read aloud. I barely got through it. The last lines read, "We'll be singing our song, you know the one. "Love Can Build A Bridge," it's gonna be fun. So, us and the Judds in March it will be, please say you'll go to their concert with me." The look on her face was priceless.

A week ago Sunday, we attended the concert. It began with "Love Can Build A Bridge," just as their last concert in 1991 ended.

Everyone has the power to change something in their lives. Pick up the phone. Write a letter. Take a chance. Results are worth the risk.

And to my best friend: "When we stand together, it's our finest hour. We can do anything. Keep believin' in the power."