My Best Friend

I found out something fairly shocking this week. Actually, it was revealed to me yesterday by my best friend. She didn't break the news particularly gently either as she told me that my husband was "useless!" 

Now when a friend makes a statement like that you've got to listen. This is the girl that was recently one of three bridesmaids at my wedding (alongside my sisters); someone I've known for four and a half years and who was almost instantly one of my favourite people in the world. 

So, why - you ask- did she declare my husband "useless"? 

Fortunately for our friendship there is a valid answer and as has occurred many times before in our evaluation of men in each others' lives, she was (in this particular instance) right. 

You see, we'd Skype'd before Christmas and at that time she'd realised there were one of two things in life that were causing me some trouble and stress. Not for the first time, she'd decided to take action to relieve said stress. In order to do this she enlisted the help of Ben...

And he didn't reply...

...Which, I feel, creates a question of the rhetorical nature about which of them really loves me. 

There is nothing in this world like a good friend of the same gender as you. There's something in conversations between women who know and understand each other that can't be found in a conversation with a man. I'm not insulting men as I imagine it is equally true to say of a conversation between two men. 

Sometimes it also takes someone who is a little bit removed from the situation to care and come up with a way to act on that. Monique's idea (not for the first time) was that I should find a way to get away and, living in Denmark as she does, came up with a way for me to do just that! It made me smile just to think that I have a friend who thinks of me even when she is so so busy with wonderful things and difficult things herself.

This is the friend who called me after my second year exams had finished and told me she had a spare ticket and that as I needed to take my mind of events in life that were coming up, I was going to Denmark with her.

The friend who I traveled to Spain with.

The friend who was always just across the corridor when I needed a chat and a hot chocolate (possibly the reason I failed first year medical school...)



The friend who I celebrated my big 2-0 with! ...

AND my big 2-1!

A friend who has seen me at my worst and at my best in every way!

As I looked back over pictures of our friendship I realised that we have been there for each other in some really bizarre moments. It's never been an effort because wanting what's best for each other has been a key factor in our friendship. We're so different in lots of ways but there's always this feeling in our conversations that we understand or at least always try to understand.

As Monique studied law at University, together we are 'Legally' 'Blonde'.

 It's great to know that when times get tough and things are a little scary, that just a skype call or a flight away is a friend who has shown time and time again that she cares.

 That's what life's about!  

(p.s. Don't worry, my 'useless' husband will of course be accompanying me on my future trips to Denmark... however, Monique and I will be the ones organizing them!!!)