This weekend I had the opportunity to hang out with some of my best friends in the whole world.  I hadn’t had a visit with them–more than a few stolen minutes at a wedding–in six years.  When Lynell picked me up at the airport, I felt as if I’d seen her the day before.

I’ve been doing a lot of looking backward lately.  Maybe it’s the springtime.  Maybe it’s because I’m on the cusp of something that makes me sick to my stomach and excited.  Regardless of the cause, I’ve come up with some regrets.

This weekend, those regrets were erased.  During what seem, in retrospect, like some of the worst times in my life, I made some of the best friends I’ll ever have.  We laugh together.  We cry together.  We stalk the Gateway Arch together.   

Sometimes it’s tough to remember the blessing of my friends when they aren’t in my daily life.  Whenever I look at this photo, I’ll remember how blessed I am.