Thank you, my friend.

My dearest friend,

It has been thirteen years since we first met. Life has changed greatly since then. We've gone from being college students and young professionals to mothers and wives. I wish that the distance between us was not so great. I would have loved to have had the chance to meet your husband and son; would have loved for my son and daughter to have grown up with your own.

Do you remember when we first met? Living in Edmonton, working and studying, you trying to teach me Korean (that went very well, yes?), me trying to teach you German, both of us sleep deprived but loving every second of life as it was. Somehow we just clicked. Those years were some of the best years, before things became complicated and family and responsibilities took over and you moved back to Korea. Our plan was to be two old women who lived next door to each other, each of us would have our rocking chairs and cats (I know, cliche), and we'd enjoy each other's company and share our families.

Things changed so much when you moved away. I know we still speak from time-to-time, occasionally catching up to check in on each other, trying to be each other's bolster through what has become difficult years. I miss you. You became the sister of my heart. I am grateful for you though, regardless of the distance and time. I still have to laugh over your sense of direction. I can't believe it hasn't gotten better yet. I remember having to call you from the Timmy's where we were supposed to meet for coffee, asking where you were, and somehow you had gotten lost between the U of A and the coffee shop in the straight line down the street! No ill will my friend, but I do still find it hilarious. I think you got just as much amusement out of my (very) mangled attempts at the Korean language. Try German.... so much easier!

I hope that the students you have in Korea these days have an easier time learning English than I had trying to learn your language. Do you know that the tone of your voice changes when you switch from one language to another? I always thought it interesting that when you spoke English your voice was lower and when you spoke Korean it went up in pitch. Your son sounds like you, the few times I have heard his voice over the phone, I have thought that he sounds just like his mama. My daughter sounds just like me. Life amazes me sometimes. We never thought we'd have kids, and yet, hear we are with our mini-me's.

Sometime in the next years we have to visit. I know that you aren't planning on coming back to Canada, but mayhap we can come to visit you. Does your mom still cook her awesome food? I always meant to ask her to teach me, but with the language barrier I thought it could be entertaining to try to learn from her. There would have been a lot of loud gesticulating and pointing and exclamation marks!

Regardless of where life has taken us, or where it will lead us in the future, I am grateful to have met you and to have formed a friendship that will last a lifetime. Somehow, even though months at a time go by between us contacting each other, we always seem to be on the same page. I am happy to listen any time you call and you've always heard me. Often times our grumbles about our families and situations that have frustrated us have ended in laughter and a lightness of breath. Thank you for that. May we continue to be friends, through all of our highs and lows, may our children someday meet, and who knows, mayhap we'll get those rocking chairs and houses next to each other after all.

Until next time my friend,

All my love