PEA RIDGE — Five friends met Saturday, March 12, to celebrate their 2011 birthdays. Their friendship began at school in Garfield. They were all born the same year, over a 10-month span, and have been friends since meeting in the first through seventh grades. Two were born in Arkansas, one in Kansas, one in Colorado, and one in Iowa. Each considers the other four a “best” friend.
This same loyalty carried over into their marriages.
All are with their first husbands. In 2011, one will celebrate 51 years, two will reach 50 years, one with 49 years, and the last will log 31 years of partnership with their spouse. Three of the women have two children, one had one child and onedidn’t have any.
After so many years of friendship, getting together is a joy, healing and a comfort, depending on the circumstances. Cards, letters and calls helped during military deployments to the other side ofthe globe, when children were small, during family illness, or if one was just lonesome. The past few decades there have been more get-togethers, and they are currently authoring a book about friendship.
Community, Pages 8 on 04/20/2011