Today changed my way of thinking

I went to a funeral today for my childhood friend's aunt, Jeanette. My dad and her dad have been great friends for many, many years. I didn't personally know her aunt, but being that her family was my second family growing up and her mom and dad were always like my second parents, my heart told me to go and lend support to the family. The funeral, which was more of a celebratory ceremony honoring her life, was very beautiful and very emotional. My friend and two of her three sisters sang two songs and quite a few family members shared how Jeanette touched their lives through songs, prayer, stories, letters and poems. What a wonderful woman who embraced the Lord's plan for her life and worshipped and praised Him in everything she did, and she was definitely quite the singer! Jeanette's husband had recorded her singing talents and a few songs were played during the ceremony. By the end, I began to feel very sad that I did not have the chance to meet this talented woman who touched so many lives. But, as others said several times, she is now in a much better place where there is no pain and she can walk beside the Lord as He has promised.

As I drove back to work, I called my dad to tell him about the ceremony as he couldn't get off work, and during our conversation, the phrase "best friend" was used. This phrase hasn't bothered me at all until today. It wasn't that it was used in a bad manner, it's just that the "best" part of the phrase made me feel sick to my stomach. What makes someone better than another? What makes a friend the "best"? And, do we have "worst friends"? I have fallen guilty to using this phrase to describe a woman in my life whom I have known since sixth grade and whom I am very close with. But, I have another girlfriend (the one who I saw today at her aunt's funeral) that I am very close with as well. What title, if you will, does she get? Simply "friend"? Sadly, yes. Is that fair? It's not a matter of being fair, it's a matter of being true. And, to be true, you have to genuine and to call one of these women my "best friend" and the other "friend," makes my heart hurt because I feel like I have lifted up my one friend and not the other other. Both of these women are so very near and dear to my heart and I love them both like a sister. So, from here on out, the term "best friend" goes out the window. I don't want to label my friends and I don't want either one to think that the other is superior because that's not the case. I have shared my heart, stories, tears and laughter with both of them. We're all riding the roller coaster of life as we all are mommies, wives, daughters, sisters and believers in Christ, and the last thing any of us needs is to be judged. They are both my closest girlfriends, and I will leave it at that.

Even though, I never met Jeanette, I feel that through listening to those she loved share her life with me today, it has changed my way of thinking, and for that, I am eternally grateful.