I decided to start with something really simple - so phoned a good friend who I rarely talk to. We live quite far apart, and only get to meet up about twice a year, but she's the sort of friend that is so easy to catch up with. We spoke for 59 minutes which was a real joy - we didn't talk about anything very deep and meaningful, but it was nice to chew the cud and check in with each other. I felt far more satisfied than if I'd just watched tv for that hour.
W is a special person, we are both similar in our low-key attitude to life, although she is far better at the practicalities (that's a polite way to say she's a clean freak...) but she's special to me as she is the person that drove me to the hospital a few years ago now and held my hand when the nurse said there was no heart beat on the monitor... and that I would miscarry my first pregnancy over the next few days. As an Army wife I was on my own at that time, and no family close by. W had left work with no explanation and just did everything I needed for that day - and most valuable to me was that she actually listened to what I wanted. When I said I wanted to be left alone for the night she just checked once and left - she trusted my judgement and I will always be grateful for that.
Friendship isn't always about the time you spend with someone, but the quality and equality of those interactions. We have remained good friends, despite the distances and lack of regular contact. I hope she doesn't read this I as expect she would be most embarrassed by my emotional tale - I also suspect I have never told her how precious she was that day.
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