My Friend Jackie.............

This picture was made at "A Time Remembered Tea Room"

Jackie and Betty


I once read if you have friends you are rich beyond words. I am rich beyond words because I am blessed with innumerable friends and many acquaintances.

I have one friend that has been a friend since first grade. Now, as I am 65 years old, she has been a friend for a long time. Her name is Jackie. Well, actually, that’s not her legal name. That’s a nickname given to her as a young child by her uncle. Probably not more that a handful of people know her name is Mary Leah.

I came across a newspaper clipping a few years ago in some of my mother’s stuff of children’s pictures made when I must have been about 4 or 5 years old. There right below my picture, was a picture, you guessed it of Jackie and her younger sister, Patsy. We were close even before we knew each other.

Growing up we sometimes were in the same classroom and some years we weren’t, but we still remained close friends. On one occasion we did have the same home room teacher. On a day when I was suppose to take a turn sweeping the classroom the teacher kept Jackie in to sweep. I guess I took her place when it was her time to sweep…..I don’t remember. I hope she reminded me. We entered into high school and began dating…many times we double-dated. We both dated boys from the same small community a few miles away. Both our boyfriends went to the same university.

Eventually we both received engagement rings. Edward and I married in June. She was my maid of honor. She and John married in November and I was her matron of honor. She wore my wedding dress.

We have had so many similarities in our lives. We each have 2 children..I have two daughters, she has two sons, our mothers-in-law each were blind in one eye, we both worked at pre-school, our fathers-in-law died within a few months of each other, we both have had breast biopsies, our mothers died of cancer, our fathers died of heart attacks, our oldest children married the same weekend (not to each other), we both worked at the same bank, our husbands were bankers, later both became ministers, we both play the piano, love flowers and fixing up our homes…….these are just to name a few.

Jackie’s husband died December 15th, 2000, the date of my oldest daughter’s wedding and he was buried on December 18th, my father’s birthday.

A year ago she married Jerry. The sweetest thing was seeing her three grandchildren walking her up the aisle. The oldest grandchild, a grandson gave her away. When the minister asked, “who giveth this woman in marriage,” Zachary replied, “on behalf of……………,and he named all the immediate family. They are extremely happy….traveling and enjoying the good life.

One difference……I have twin granddaughters and she doesn’t. It isn’t over yet…
I hope you have good friends, also. To have a friend, one must show himself (or herself) friendly.
Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.


Do you have a friend from childhood?