Rocking Chair Friends

So I have this theory... the "rocking chair" theory...

I originally got said theory from my best friend Kim when we started referring to each other as rocking chair friends years ago.

I'll explain.

A rocking chair friend is the type of friend that when you are 85 years old, wrinkled and gray (or white in my case... I hope), you can still sit on the front veranda (yes... a veranda), rocking in rocking chairs, sipping a lemonade (or hot coco) and you can feel as though no time has ever passed since the days that you were giggling together in your college dorm room, your work place or your first apartment. Now realistically, you probably spent years and years without seeing said friend, but when you get back together to have your moment in the rocking chairs, it will be as though no time has ever passed.

That is how good of friends you are.

I was thinking about what it takes for someone to fit into this select category and through a conversation with one of my said rocking chair friends, I came up with the answer. In order for someone to become a rocking chair friend, they must have been willing to share their heart with me and I had to have been willing to share my heart with them. Only when people share their hearts with each other can they forge the bond that it takes.

It takes a lot for someone to show another their heart. It makes them feel vulnerable and possibly weak. I have shared my heart totally and completely with my rocking chair friends. They know my joys, my sorrows, my insecurities, my strengths, my weaknesses and they have seen my shout from the treetops with joy and they have seen me sob uncontrollably in times of sorrow. In those times, they have shouted and sobbed with me. Being willing to share my heart with said friends, comes from the fact that I know they will not judge me. They will accept that no one is perfect and they accept that we all have our good and bad times and they stick with you through them all. Everyone has the need to show their heart to people and I am very grateful that I have friends that have been willing to take a little peak into mine.

To all of my rocking chair friends

Thank You.