Randi and Mandy
From the left: Randi, Monica, Bonnie, and myself at our 10 year high school reunion.
I really wish I had a scanner so that I could scan this really awesome picture of my 3 best friends and me from our senior year of high school with our class of '99 jerseys on. The picture was taken at a pep rally one Friday morning. Just a moment in time caught on film and now it's one of my most treasured pictures. I hated high school. I was definitely one of those who lived for the day I graduated. There was one thing I loved about school though, and that was my friends. From 9th grade on I had a special bond with this most wonderful girl named Randi.
So let me give you a brief history of Randi and me: Randi and I met in 9th grade--the first day--in the auditorium at Byram High School in study hall. I even remember what she had on! We clicked from the moment we first started talking. From that point on, we became inseparable. We were "attached at the hip" as some might say. We even had some random folks from time to time ask if we were twin sisters on more than one occasion.
Our junior year, Randi got a fabulous new shiny car for Christmas. She had "Ran Ran" put on her tag. The following year, I got a new car for graduation. So I had "Man Man" put on my tag. Her senior jersey said "Ran-Maree" and my senior jersey said "Man-Marie" because our middle names were both Marie/Maree and we called each other the before mentioned names. Randi and Mandy, the 2 inseparable amigos.
Our senior year we also formed a special bond with 2 other great girls who we had grown up with all these years, but for some reason I can't quite recall right off, all 4 of us became best friends. One of us was always hanging out with another of us in our group. We even had someone nickname our little 4 girl group, "The Clique". Now, don't get the wrong impression, we weren't stuck-up cheerleaders (and I'm not saying if you were a cheerleader, you were stuck-up) or some weird little group that had some secret language, but we just all had a special bond. We even all 4 took our A.C.T. together, we all applied for college together, and we had even all signed up to live in the dorms together at Hinds. Well, as the story goes, myself and one other other girl in our group, Monica, decided not to live on campus the summer before we started. Her and I went to orientation together and HATED it the few hours we were there. So, we decided to break the news to the other 2 and let's just say things weren't the same after that. It's sad that something like that damaged our friendships, but it did. Randi and Bonnie were in my wedding, and Randi, Bonnie, and myself were in Monica's wedding. We all eventually parted ways for the most part.
I say all that so that I can say this: Randi lost her brother this past weekend. It didn't take long before word spread and the 4 of us shared thoughts and prayers and grief. We share a bond that no one else can ever understand. Randi and I were so close we could finish each others sentences at one time, and now 10 years later our friendship has been renewed. We had just recently in the past year been talking and hanging out and becoming close again. I think the tragedy of Matthew's death will be the glue that the 4 of us need for each other. When I hugged Randi, we had that bond again. She opened up to me. We were all together again and I feel confident that as Randi and her family travel the long road ahead, "The Clique" will be there--even after 10 years-- to help pick up the pieces for her. Life is short and I have the regret that we wasted 10 years of our lives because we had a little spat. But, when we are all around each other, it's as though no time has passed. We still laugh and roll our eyes at each other, and give hugs when they are needed. I've never hugged and held tight to a friend as much as I have the past 2 days. I couldn't wait to get my hands on her and love on her when she needed it the most. Monica's husband, who is a minister, did Matthew's funeral today. Sitting there beside Monica with her husband speaking beautiful words about an old friend, I've never been so proud of the 3 of my friends and what we all mean to each other.
All these times you casually mention "maybe we should get together soon" -- "yes, let's do that"... WELL, DO IT!!! It doesn't take much more effort to pick a time and a day and plan a lunch date or a dinner date with long, lost friends. Life is short. Hug your friends when they need it. Wipe away tears or let them cry on your shoulder. Call up that college buddy you haven't seen or talked to in years, even if it's just to say "Hello". I know with Facebook and other technology people are able to find old friends and family members, but nothing is as personal as face to face talk and nothing is as comforting as a hug from someone you once stayed up all night laughing with because you were giddy high school girls. I don't like to hug...I'm not a touchy-feely kind of gal, but hugs from a friend when they need it the most are priceless.
