Remember When?

My brother has two wifes.

One he is legally married to and has two children with. And, one he's known since kindergarten - also known to us as his best friend Roscoe.

Roscoe and my brother have been inseparable since their first meeting in kindergarten . Growing up I was jealous of the relationship they had. I wanted at least one friend for whom I had known for years on end and I could complete the sense, "Remember when. . . " I wanted to know what it was like to have that history.

These days I don't feel that same jealousy that I once did towards their relationship (haven't in years actually). I attribute this to two things: 1) Maturity; and 2) I now have a handful of friendships that have spanned on average more than two decades. "Remember when" seems to be a phrase I utter often and often hear uttered to me.

Up until recently, I thought these type of long-term friendship were normal. Clearly everyone stays friends with their friends from yesteryear, right!? Then I got a reality check. No, that isn't the case. Actually, I'm starting to see it's the exception rather than the rule. This all made me realize maybe, just maybe, I've taken for granted this gift I've been granted.

I'm not sure how this all happened. One day all these folks were strangers and now they are family. In the blink of an eye. I guess that is the beauty of life-long friendships. You don't know how they happen - they just do and you don't think twice about it.

Today, I no longer look upon my brother's relationship with Roscoe in envy. Instead, I look upon it with appreciation and give thanks for all mine.

Until later . . .