Twenty Five years is how
long I’ve known Lori Beth. I think I’ve saved her towards the end of this
thirty day journey because I am struggling to figure out a way to condense into
a small blog just how much Lori has meant to me over these past thirty years.
Let me put it this way, 99% of the memories I have of my head start through
high school years involve Lori Beth. From head start on, we were the best of
friends. We laughed together, had class together, played sports together (the Whatta years…some of my most favorite memories), vacationed together, even
lived together briefly…simply put, we did everything together.
When we were young, like
five or six years old, Lori and I first came up with the idea to start videoing
ourselves. Cue embarrassment and perfect blackmail opportunities! From doing
gymnastics (horribly I might add) to dancing, singing, and ‘talk shows,’ Lori
and I spent a majority of our afternoons at her house recording ourselves being
very silly. We even did the occasional radio show, too. Maybe her and I missed
our calling in life! Lori’s parents still have a lot of those videos and I’m
just waiting for the day they figure out a way to post them on Facebook…ahhh!
Lori and I have
experienced a lot of milestones together. We graduated head start,
kindergarten, sixth grade, and high school together. When I turned sixteen and
drove the car by myself for the first time, Lori was there (remember me trying
to back out of your driveway??? What was our parents thinking letting me drive
anywhere!). Lori and I were there for each other’s breakups and heartaches, we
won a lot of games together and lost a few too. We tried our first glass of
wine together (big mistake), went to dances together and birthday parties too. I
was a bridesmaid in Lori’s wedding and she was a bridesmaid in mine. Like I said…99%
of my memories of the first 18 years of my life involved Lori Beth. I feel like I spent more time with her than I did my own siblings!
We’ve grown up and have
husbands, kids, and full time jobs now but one thing is the same, I can promise
you that almost no one knows me better and has been through as much with me as
Lori. Without her friendship and influence in my life during those very
formidable junior high and high school years, I don’t think I’d be the same
person I am today.
Thank you Lori Beth for
being such a great friend all these years. Thank you for your influence in my
life and for keeping me out of trouble back in the day! I am blessed to call
you my friend. You are definitely like family to me.
Lori is without question one of the 30 most influential people in my 30 years of life!
No comments:
Post a Comment