Silver & Gold - Stories of Friendship

I've never had a lot of friends, especially of the female species. I'm actually an introverted person and it's hard for me to step out of my bubble and share myself with others. I know - shocking huh?  I've come to realize during my soul-searching lately that to be healthy physically, I need to come to terms with the insecurities that got me here in the first place and learn to be healthy emotionally as well. One of the areas I'm working on is friendships. 

My closest friend is someone who has know me all of my life, well since I was 7 months old! Ruth and I first met when we were babies, her babysitter lived across the street from me, so we grew up together. I cherish the friendship I have with Ruth, she knows me better than I know myself. One of the saddest times I had as a child was when her family moved to North Carolina. I was lost without her! They moved back to Kansas as we were heading into our tween/teen years and most weekends were spent at one or the other's house.

Skateboard stars! 

We shared so many adventures and were inseparable. Ruth still knows things about me that no one else ever will. 
As we became young adults we grew apart. We were both so busy living our own lives, falling and failing in love, that we lost track of each other for a while. Yet when we reconnected, it was like we had never been apart. Even now, we can go for months without talking, but I know she is always there for me. The love I have for Ruth can't be measured in words - she is my heart sister. Ruth is the first one to make a donation for the Heart Walk and this means so much to me. What means even more is something she said in an email, "I've been walking on my treadmill as much as my feet and time will let me. It’s a struggle, more than it really ought to be, just haven’t got the habits in place. I read your blog, and that makes it easier."  

I always felt my friendship with Ruth was lopsided, I took more than I gave and I haven't been there for her as much as she has been there for me. Now I feel I can give something back! Ruth lives in Colorado and it's challenging to keep in touch with our busy lives, but I'm determined to change that. Besides I need some new pictures of us together! Maybe hiking in the Rockies! 

Another close friend is Cindy - while Ruth is my heart sister, Cindy is my BFF.  We first met as tour guides at Crumm Castle, circa 1979-1980, though we really didn't get close then.  A few months later we somehow ended up in the same summer school driver's ed class and our friendship grew from there!  Where Ruth was my tomboy, adventurer friend - Cindy was my girly-girl, boy crazy friend. Cindy and I did manage to have some interesting adventures though, and they usually involved boys, probably best I not tell those stories!  

I had mentioned in a previous blog, that I was never wore makeup much - well Cindy seemed determined to change that. She was always fixing my hair and doing my make-up and I went along with it - after all she made me look good!  

On our way to Rocky Horror! 

Cindy and I have shared a lot, maybe too much. You see, Cindy is the friend that married Eugene after we had broke-up. So her ex-husband is my current husband and her son is my step-son. Cindy was our wedding organizer when Eugene and I got married. I know, I know, we should be on an episode of Jerry Springer!  

Cindy & Eugene with baby Nicholas

   

After Cindy and Eugene divorced, she married a great guy and has 2 beautiful daughters.

Another thing we shared is being non-traditional college students and earning our social work degrees while we were raising kids. She later returned to school and is now a special education teacher. I've always admired Cindy's determination to overcome the obstacles that life threw at her and go after her dreams. 

Perhaps the worse thing we shared though is allowing ourselves to get obese and unhealthy. I think for years, we both tried to convince ourselves we were fat and happy and would always be that way.  

At a wedding in 2011

In 2013, Cindy auditioned for the Better U Challenge and was chosen. I watched her posts on Facebook and saw her transformation through her pictures.  At the time she started Better U, I had been losing weight during a challenge at work. I lost 20 pounds, through diet and exercise, but when I lost after being ahead most of the contest, I became so discouraged I gave up and gained back everything I had lost plus some! I admit I was jealous of Cindy, but that still didn't give me enough determination to continue on. That was until she let me know the American Heart Association was having auditions for the 2014 Go Red Better U Challenge. When I went to the challenge I had the picture of Cindy and I all dressed up for Rocky Horror in my pocket. Cindy was there helping with the auditions. I had not seen her in person since she had started her Better U journey and I was in awe of how good she looked and how full of energy she was. 

What a difference a year makes! 

 Seeing that Cindy can do this is motivation for me. Since she is a Better U alumni, she will help with certain events for this year's challenge and be a mentor. I can't think of a better role for her. I am looking forward to the day when we can recreate our Rocky Horror picture and maybe be brave enough to do the bikini one! 




This isn't the end of my friendship tale though - as the song says, "Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver, and the other gold." Through the Better U Challenge I have made new friends that inspire me, motivate me, challenge me, and encourage me. I hope that after the Challenge is over in a few short weeks, that we will remain friends. I need these women in my life, as much as I need Ruth and Cindy in my life. I hope that I can as good a friend to these awesome ladies as they have been to me!