I am trying to scour through the thousands of photographs I have on my computer to find that perfect photo to accompany a perfect blog post to wish darling Melissa a Happy Birthday.  Meanwhile there are jackhammers outside my window and my brain is, for the most part, otherwise distracted by my looming book deadline, now bumped up to Friday, June 27th.  There is also a part of me that is feeling like I have just the tiniest bit of wiggle room today, the day of her actual birthday, knowing she’ll be standing right in front of me in just five days.  Today is the day she was born; this weekend is when the real celebrations will begin.

The main question I get when I tell people my best friend is coming out for a visit is “What do you have planned?” and I always giggle to think of how the word plan rarely comes into any conversation between Melissa and I when it comes to our time together.  Wherever we are, plans are usually not our goal, and it is this quiet, easy comfort that always makes my time with Melissa feel like a respite from my normally hectic life.  Pondering this, I thought of one of my favorite childhood books – Frog and Toad Are Friends – and realized that this is one of the most fundamental yet profound truths of my life:  Melissa and Christine Are Friends, and that is the way it shall always be.

Melissa is the calming chamomile tea to my double espresso; she is yoga-pilates-all day naps on a Sunday while I am running-cycling-organizing my closet at the end of a long day.   She provides a balance in my life that makes me breathe easier and quiets my mind, and it is my greatest wish for her today that she knows how much she is loved and appreciated by her kooky friend in California.

Happy Birthday Melissa – I can’t wait to celebrate with you this weekend!!!