For Granted
07-28-2002,

For Granted...
A Dear X Collaboration

July 28, 2002

Dear Friend...

I sometimes take it for granted that you will always be there, a part of my life, regardless of anything else. Because I do sometimes take that for granted, I also sometimes forget to take a moment to stop and tell you all that you mean to me, or to thank you for the little things that you do, the little things that mean so much to me. But at times like now, I wonder..how can you possibly know how much they mean to me, if I don't stop a minute and say the words, the words that everyone needs to hear at times.

I very much like knowing that even when the rest of the world is up for grabs, our friendship is intact, and strong. We may have our moments, our fights and little disagreements, as are common among people who are close, people who share all that we share, but somehow we come thru these times, and we end up feeling better for having shared the feelings deep inside of our hearts. I like knowing that no matter what else I might mess up in my life, you are still going to be there in the end, loving me. I like knowing that what I feel for you is what you feel for me in return. I never doubt the fact that our friendship is as important to you as it is to me. It's a pretty wonderful feeling, knowing how strong it is.

I always say how hard it is, friendship, it is hard in so many ways... but I should also remember to say more often just how rewarding it is. I get so much from our friendship.. love, respect, trust, support, so much that I can't even name.. I know that we have our moments.. moments of sadness or even jealousy, but we always find a way to come out of those moments stronger and happier than we were before. I take for granted, at times, the open channels of communication that we share. Sometimes it amazes me just how much we can say to each other, just how much we understand each other and how much we share. I blush at some of our conversations, because most of the time they are about things that I never imagined being able to say to a friend.. but yet, even as I blush, my heart is soaring with the knowledge that I have a friendship like that, a friendship where nothing it taboo.. maybe I should have told you that before, but instead I took it for granted that you just knew it.

Every moment that we share together, I probably take for granted. I don't stop to say thanks for any sacrifices in your time that you may have made to take the time to spend with me, nor do I even realize that there were any. I don't think that it's owed to me, as your friend, although sometimes it might come off looking that way. The same can be said on all sides, but this is my turn to acknowledge all that you do.

I don't take you for granted on purpose.. but then normally most of the imporant things that we do take for granted in life are the things that we feel most comfortable with, the things in our lives that we are the most sure of. This is not a bad thing, especially if we do take the moments like these to stop and say, hey I appreciate you.. and I do, appreciate each of you. I am glad that I have opportunities like this to say these words, and I hope that it reminds you of just how special you are, to me, and to many others.

Maybe none of this made much sense.. but as I sat down to write this collaboration, I had a totally different idea of what I was going to write, and I even wrote half of a much different entry, and then I realized that telling you what you meant to me, was something more towards what I should do, and suddenly it was important to me. It was important to me to take time to tell you that I am sorry for the times I take you for granted, and to thank you for being my friend. I am glad for this chance...and I hope that you know that.

Love, Vicki