Egg Salad

"There is one friend in the life of each of us who seems not a separate person, however dear and beloved, but an expansion, an interpretation, of one's self, the very meaning of one's soul." ~Edith Wharton

There are certain people in your life that come along and make a profound impact that stays with you through the years, and for me, one of those people is my dear friend, Pam. That fateful day 16 years ago when I ordered egg salad for lunch, somehow my guard came down, and she stepped into my life. I was such a mixed-up, scared little girl running from the world but not sure where to go or who to run to. Somehow, she saw past all that and became one of the truest, most supportive friends I've ever had. As Toni Morrison says, "She gather me, man. The pieces I am, she gather them and give them back to me in all the right order."

Pam, thanks for always being there. I don't know where or who I'd be today without you. You've been a friend, a mentor, a mother-figure (don't kill me for that one), a guide, a fashion advisor (stock party outfits, haha!), art teacher (if anyone ever needs a picture of a squirrel hole, I've learned from the best), a therapist, a sister, and most of all just the one person for all those years that understood me when no one else even wanted to try. Look at us now! We've come full circle, and both of us have found peace in our lives. I'll never forget all the crazy times we've had over the past 16 years. Those were some of the best times of my life, but I can't wait to see what the next 16 has in store for us. Thanks for always being there. I love you dearly! Happy birthday, friend...here's to many more!