There are young trees near my window, growing proudly around pink flowers. My little hill with the trees1me of my childhood best friend. The2of a best friend lasts even if the friendship does not.
I met my best friend Marianne when I was 14. She sat behind me in our Grade 9 classroom. I can still 3 her there with orange hair. She was thin and had bright eyes, a sweet smile and an inviting openness. Once she asked me over to her house after school. We first stopped at a bakery to satisfy our never-ending4. We each bought two small cakes, and started5 with mouths full of cake.
The laughter never6. We laughed through elegant dinners and playing hide-and-seek in the dark. We were7. We sucked all the childhood juices out of our young lives8 there was no more childhood to suck up. And then we were ready to 9.
Marianne and I went in10directions. In our late 20s, we met up for one11lunch in a cafe after I bumped into her in Toronto. We became Facebook friends and glanced over pieces of each other's 12.
I recently felt a longing to call Marianne. We chatted about old times and caught up on news about our kids and parents. A few days later, she13a story on Facebook. She is living with breast cancer.14, she is sweet and full of that lovely energy I noticed in our classroom. She is 15 life, and she wants us to do the same. I called her after reading her post, and we talked like two schoolchildren16 it was 46 years later.
I'm17for her inspiring philosophy of life, which reminds me of when we were two silly girls 18 the unknown of our new lives with hope and love.
When I look out from my window, I can see the little hill with its trees. I think of those19 as my childhood friends and see Marianne there, 20 and blooming(盛开) with love and grace. And I'm thankful. Marianne will be my best friend forever!
