Yesterday was a rare occasion that I took the Metro home and I HATE it. Despise it with every fiber of my being. As I'm walking down the escalator I see this woman with a ponytail that looked really familiar. She was going up and I was going down but that didn't stop me from blurting out my sisters name. Halfway up, she turns around...sees its me and starts running down the up-escalator. It was funny as hell, just like in the movies.

We hugged and exchanged our "where the hell have you beens" and phone numbers too.

I guess some explanation is due. I have two younger sisters. Although not blood related, we grew up together. You know how you've known someone more than half your life and you feel like God forgot to make them biologically yours? Thats how I feel about my sisters. And we're not talking about friends for a few months and we shared clothes. Nu-uh! I'm talking about people that know exactly who you are, your flaws, your imperfections, AND your deep dark dirty secrets. Real sisterhood. And I found it after 5 or more years at the Metro. Thats a hoot.

So I ended up talking to my sister for about 3 hours last night. She divorced my brother in law almost five years ago (which I knew about) and she's engaged again to a new guy (which I didn't know about). I was so happy to hear that her and my brother in law were honest to goodness partners in parenting my 2 nieces and nephew. They just realized that after nearly ten years of marriage, they were better friends than spouses. Hey, whatever works and makes you happy is my motto. So I am proud that she's handling her business. Both of my sisters are. And that make me feel...just like a beaming older sister.

It also got me to thinking about my friends. If you've been keeping up, you will remember that I mentioned losing a very good friend in May. The loss cut really deep and truth be told, I still mourn. Her name was Kim. We met in high school and stayed friends for years after that. And then, as sometimes the path in life takes you in different directions, we lost touch. We found each other maybe like 6 or 7 years ago and picked up like no time had passed us by. We'd go out to eat, shop, watch movies. Just good old hanging with your girl stuff. And when she passed, I didn't have it anymore.

"Finding" my sister and also another really good friend from high school (thank you, internet!) made me realize the value of friendship and certain truths that you hold close. Friendship doesn't necessarily mean chatting on the phone everyday or going to every birthday party. Hell, I talk to my one sister maybe 3 or 4 times a year and see her less than that. But when you love someone, you care about them and what happens to them, regardless of how much time has passed between that last phone call or that last visit. If you had an arguement or some sort of falling out, a real friend will be like, "now what in the hell made us stop talking again?" or better yet, "it musta been something so petty, I don't even remember". My sister told me last night, "I haven't seen you in five years, but if you called me and told me we had beef with some chick...I'm peeling off the earrings to fuck a bitch up."

In the last few years, I have seen female friends come and go for whatever reason. Some with hard feelings and bitter words, others just drift away. What can I say? I've never really liked females (my bullshit level is pretty low so I find most to be petty as shit) and have always gotten along with guys better. But I've made lasting friendships with a few girls that I used to work with and well, since reconnecting with my sister and my other friend from school, I feel pretty fufilled. I lost Kim in May and there is no replacing a Kim. Won't even try to.

So, folks, I have come full circle. I really believe the friends I have now were truly meant to be in my life. And that is a wonderful feeling.