Today, I wrote a birthday email to an old friend over in Switzerland who is very special to me. Let's call her Rosie. This is not her real name because Rosie is a private person. She also wouldn't want me to use pictures of her, but I know she won't mind an anonymous honest account of what she means to me.
Rosie and I met when we were 4 years old when our families moved into the same 9-story apartment block. We had identical apartments, my family on the first floor and hers on the third. I remember the moment when the adults introduced us children.
Like us they were three. Rosie's sister was 6 and she had an extremely cute baby brother who was 2. My brothers were 6 and 8. We were all standing there, cautiously eyeing each other, wondering whether we would get along. The others weren't matched that well but Rosie and I hit it off straight away. That was the start of a friendship that would last a lifetime.
We went to kindergarten and school together for the next 11 years and I can't remember a single argument. Rosie and I were very different in character but our personalities complimented each other. We respected our differences and liked each other exactly the way we were. And we always had each other's backs.
As I said, Rosie is a private person, so in our early teens, I told her absolutely everything that bothered me while she kept her troubles pretty much to herself. She was a great listener and I needed one to unload my frustrations. I didn't have a good time at home during those years (a story for another time) and Rosie was my only go-to person. She never complained.
I knew Rosie had her own problems, especially when her parents separated, but she preferred to muddle through them by herself. Maybe she felt that I was too immature and self-absorbed to be of much help. She probably also thought that my problems were fairly minor compared to hers.
Rosie was always mature. I admired her for how she handled life in general but I wish I could have been a more useful friend when times were tough for her.
When we finished high school we went on a short holiday together. We were extremely carefree and silly and I didn't know one could laugh so hard before that week. But we also had more serious times and got to know each other even better. I guess we already knew then that our friendship would last forever, no matter what life would throw at us.
Our further education took us to similar places, so for the next three years we still managed to catch up for weekly lunches. But after that we worked and lived further away and we saw each other less often. However, as is the case with real friends, whenever we did see each other, it felt like we'd never been apart.
Rosie never had children but is living with her partner. She came to my wedding and 4 years after that, my husband and I moved away to Australia. Rosie loved getting photos and seeing my kids grow up. She visited us in Australia once and we get together whenever I'm back in the old home country. And in between we write to each other.
Now, this year an interesting thing happened. Rosie realised that in order for her needs to be met, they need to be heard (her words), and so she decided to try and be more open with people she trusts. I always found that sharing brings relief and I'm pleased she has now discovered that as well. A very sad thing is happening in Rosie's life at the moment and I am so glad I have a chance to finally give back and be the friend she deserves.
We will always be close, even when we're old and looking like this (haha):
Now I just need to say that while Rosie will always be that one super special friend to me, I am so stoked about making some very awesome new friends on steemit right now. You are special in your own, individual ways, and I already love you all.
Thank you for letting me be your friend and part of this community! And as always, I want to thank 
Oh pixabay, what would I do without you? All photos are from the amazing pixabay collection, again.
