In high school, there were seven of us that were close. It is an unusual number given the sheer size and the fact that it is an odd number, but it worked for us. I can honestly say that I have the BEST memories of high school because of these friendships. We prioritized one another above all else. We talked about everything, working through every conceivable issue together – family, love interests, school, the future. You name it, we covered it.

Life has taken us down different paths. All except two attended different universities. We all pursued different professions. And we are geographically dispersed – only two remain in Ottawa, while three live in Toronto, one in Indiana and one in the UK. But none of this matters. We don’t talk every day, but when we do, it’s like time has stood still. We pick up right where we left off.

This past weekend, six of us travelled down to Florida together. We began this trip several years ago to celebrate our 40th birthdays. All seven of us were able to make it. During that first trip, we toyed around with the idea of doing something similar every five years. But then a couple of years passed and I suggested to the group that perhaps five years was too long to wait. So, we replicated our trip last year and again this year. And I suspect that we will be doing a yearly trip from here on in. Not everyone has been able to make it every year. Work and family commitments sometimes make it difficult. But everyone knows that they are welcome.

As we did when we were teenagers, we spent the majority of this past weekend hanging out by the pool talking and catching up on one another’s lives – work, significant others, kids, extended family. One of our husbands said that he thought we’d run out of things to talk about. Not a chance! If anything, there wasn’t enough time.

There is something to be said for lifelong friends. These people not only know the person you are, but also the person you were. There is a shared history that makes it easier for us to communicate. We know one another’s families… We went through our most awkward years together… We understand each other’s insecurities and fears (and, more importantly, know where many of these come from). Don’t get me wrong, we have had our share of disagreements over the years. But our shared history holds us together.

I am so very grateful for these women and their friendships. I am who I am today in large part because of them.

Thank you for another great weekend ladies. I love you all very much!