11:03 p.m. | 2006-04-07 Sisterhood. Recently, I received an email message from TallGirl�s friend. I work with TallGirl and we�re, of course, friends. And, I�ve met TG�s friend � lets call her Smiley � and we�ve all come together a couple of times. Basically, we�re all friends. But anyway, Smiley sent me an email suggesting that we should all walk together once a week. Like a serious walk. Exercise type of thing. I need to do that � the exercising thing � and walking is my first choice � so I agreed right away. We finally got it all together this week. Picked a night, a route, a time. We all met up and set out. Lots of chatter, of course. Which, frankly, is the best part. I like to talk, I like to walk. To me? If I have to exercise? Walking while talking is the absolute best thing ever. I�m good at walking and I�m good at talking. When those two things are combined? I love it. Mostly because I spend so much time talking and listening that I don�t realize that I�m walking. Anyway, we all met up and were catching up when someone ran up next to me. Who was it? BestestGirlfriend. A fluke thing. When I showed up, I thought that I should�ve called her and invited her to join us. But I hadn�t so I let that go. Pure happenstance that she was suddenly there. Seriously. None of us ever go there on a regular basis. Two of us have lived in MyTown for all their lives and have only gone to that particular spot three times. Myself and BestestGirlfriend? We didn�t grow up here and we�ve only gone to this spot a couple of times. It just all worked out right. And, it�s great. As I�ve become older, I realize how important my girlfriends are in my life. I mean that in a very serious way. Most of society and social institutions, including families, support men. I don�t mean that in a bad way, it just is. Women just aren�t supported that much. Or in that way. Know what I mean? That�s what was so right about our walking experience. We were walking, of course, for health and whatnot, but the social aspect was way more important. And my BestestGirlfriend randomly showing up was not a big deal. Great happenstance, of course, but none of us missed a stride or a word. And, our words? Oh, so much was said. So much was not said too. Girl talk is like that. It�s singular, it�s special and it�s absolutely one of the best things in the world. At least it is to me. I�m fortunate that way. My girlfriends are very, very cool. They�re all smart, good-looking, clever, and have the best sense of humor ever. The other night, when all of my best friends came together � not including my best friends here (which I would have if I was really rich and could fly everyone here just to walk with me) � I felt really rich. It�s hard to explain but when we all get together, it�s remarkable. It really is. Frankly, as I get older, I realize just how important my girlfriends are. Or rather, I realize how important it is to have strong women in my life. And, how much that type of �fellowship� means to me. Don�t get me wrong... I love men... I love the guys. But, it�s not the same friendship wise. Walking around the park with three very smart, powerful and beautiful women, who are all my friends? It�s a remarkable feeling to be part of that group. Very Sex in the City without, well, the TV part of it. But yeah. Very much a part of real life. I�m lucky that way. I�ve always had great girlfriends. You, of all people, should know that. Austin, San Diego, Chicago, Green Bay... I�ve got the very best of friends. At least I like to think that I do. If not, bugger off. Well, except Dixie, Jen, Mare, Jessie, Ray, Jake, Carrie, Fred, Wendy, Mike, Chris and everyone else. Like I said, you, of all people should know how great my friends are... because you are my friends. At least, I hope you are. your thoughts? seed flower