inestimable treasure

Twenty-seven years ago I met T., who was attending the same boarding academy as I was. T. was 2 grades ahead of me. During highschool, mostly we just joked around alot. I had no idea at that time, that T. would be the one that would write / keep in touch the best. I know there were times, that I told T. more about my life than probably anyone. Sometimes people share more of themselves in writing form.... It was better than any kind of therapy - I could share anything; the bad and good; things I feared to tell anyone else for what they might think of me (remember when we worried about stuff like that too much?). T. did not pass judgement, patronize or 'preach' to me. We didn't talk on the phone, nor did we e-mail (I didn't have a computer then anyway). We still write letters and mail via the USPS with stamps... T. is an avid reader - has always been from the time we met. T. would recommend books, movies, music and share dreams, sometimes with illustrations of something being built, etc., and just what's going on....and I guess I did the same (but I don't think I was as interesting in the dream parts). When I moved from Texas, T. and I were then living about a 3 hour drive from each other. T. invited me to visit and attend a U2 concert - it was a really fun weekend. Ironically, I had recently met Ed (now my husband). T. came to our wedding and made an awesome wooden trunk as a gift and had it shipped to us. We all went mountain biking once after that - about 14 years ago now. I have not seen T. since then. . . but we still keep in touch. I received a letter from T. today. He has been, and continues to be, a good friend. A treasure of inestimable value.

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Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art . . . it has no survival value; rather is one of those things that give value to survival. - C.S. Lewis