One of my best friends, Brooke, wrote a children’s book for me in college. Nothing published, just a little gift for me. Because.
*Melissa’s my name, Missy a nickname, I answer to both.
I cherish it. Not because it’s about me, but because it shows how much she knows me. She pretty much sums it up (well, it’s a little over the top but it’s kiddie lit).
For me, It’s the story of how beautiful a genuine friendship is. The beauty in connecting with someone who knows you through and through, and values every bit.
The inscription:
Remember you have the beauty that is the essence of life and all that is natural. Even the bee, who is sometimes misunderstood because of it’s sting, is a marvel of nature that spreads cheer, happiness and love.
*Melissa is the Greek word for “honeybee.” Also? Brooke and I are both just hippies at heart.
*I’m a genuinely friendly girl, it’ s who I am. My “honey’s” not sweet all the time (ask my mom!). I’m human. Plus, that would be annoying. And fake.
*Stupid eating disorder. It ain’t over… Don’t ever say never.
Love you, Brookie!
When the hey-now are we gonna get started on that book of ours?
And remember our greeting card series? Oh! And remember…….
Tell me about a special friend you have. How well do they know the real you? When did you realize?
I don’t like you, but this literally broke my heart. I hope you can be well someday, as much as an objectivist can hope.
*leave this comment alone y’all*
Why? You did not post this entry to prove that you are healthy. You posted this to prove that you have the ability to be healthy. That is my opinion. Why must persons leave this comment alone if it brings valuable discussion prompting to an otherwise very sad situation? Do you not wish to help others to gain value from your blog? Or do you only wish to host yet another pity party?
Usually when people say “i don’t like you” others tend to respond in defense in my comments.
I will have none of that. i do not like deleting comments, though. don’t make me start please.
ps- i have never said nor claimed to be healthy. NEVER, and I don’t ever say never unless I mean it. this writing is about me, my friendship with Brooke and others…
i moderated to prevent discord. i appreciate your insight into the understanding that i believe i DO have potential to be better (i could not leave the part about ambition alone … it relates to how i was in college). BUT… i just wanted to circumnavigate drama. i welcome criticism, etc…healthy debate…but it was the “i don’t like you” that prompted my response. moving on? can we?
*leave it y’all. incomprehensible. not worth your time*
This is so lovely. Thank you for sharing! Having friends who know you to the bottom of your heart ist the greatest gift. I’m blessed with friendship like that as well, and it helps me so much and enriches my life more than words can express. Such friendship has healing powers.
it does! it’s like, in life we have two families…one of blood and one of spirit.
I think so too.
i love this. sometimes its great to look back at how our story came about.. then reconnect with it.
i love that i hold on to stuff like this…. all my friends, when we get together it is like not a single second has passed because the TRUE essence of a person never changes. only circumstances.
That’s so sweet that your friend did that for you- drawing all the pictures, handwriting the text
. I mean, it’s sweet when friends email or post on facebook or comment on blogs, but that she took a lot of time to think all of this up and actually DO IT really says a lot about her, you, and how strong your friendship is 
. Definitely lucky to have such a great friendship.
ahh..the beauty of growing up without internet, myspace, tumbler..texting…believe it or not Brooke and I still try and be pen-pals…only letters. dude. it’s hard! i’m like…girlfriend? my fingers hurt….not used to this. you should try it..ask a long distance friend for their address.
Beautiful post, Missy.
{{{Hugs}}}
Friends, really great ones, are amazing.
I also love to go back and look at old gifts and letters and cards. I preserve lots of that stuff in my journal. You prompted me to pull it out!
Love this, it’s so sweet! Friends are the best and I’m so glad you have a lifelong one like Brooke in your life, Missy!
What an appropriate post for a day where I needed a friend. You know what transpired for me at one point. Another friend, and I were able to meet up later afternoon up until a few moments ago. Several hours of simply sharing.
She and I have had a relationship based in the past, but have recently reconnected and it’s been as if we never skipped up a beat. We simply filled in any blanks and had a joyous time.
I love the pictures you’ve shared and think back to the times I held with my friend, Rachael. She and I may have not been “in touch” for what is marked as years, but what we shared tonight only solidifies that bond that simply cannot be broken.
Big ups to Brooke! Lots of respect for the passage of time, but the continuity of what we hold sacred between two souls.
exactly!! like not a moment has passed and …you know how i always say this silly blog of mine writes itself, right? totally had so much to do with YOU too..after the WF happyland and i went home i found myself grabbing Brookie’s book and trying away but …. you know (well, i know you know) that the moral means you, too.
family.
ps: so glad the “post run” had the perfect landing..mdl.. tomorrow….and forever probably … we will never run out of mdl. lol.
For real Missy; if it weren’t in those moments that you helped me; I just know I would have fallen into that abyss I fall into over and over. Instead, something culminated and it was/is/has been just WOAH.
Thank you for knowing I know and so much MDL from here to that never running on empty.
Keep going and just ride the light, yeah?
Friends truly make my world go round. This post of yours touched my heart – such a special gift to you and such a special friendship! It does look like she knows you well.
xxx
I love the way you can laugh at yourself, not take yourself too seriously.
I did look at the photos of you and Brooke and think, two such beautiful ladies, at first I didn’t recognise you, Missy! I hope that you will look like that again some day. I know I should leave that alone – but I’m glad that you DO see that there IS potential to be better. There is ALWAYS hope. Always. It ain’t over while we are still breathing! I have friends who have been so sick and so stuck for years – and they have fully recovered. Not a skerrick of ED remains. No thoughts. I dream of that for myself. I find it hard to imagine it being possible, especially to be free of the thoughts as they are so constant and intrusive, but I see my friends who once were in the same position and they ARE better, ARE free of it – and I know that it’s possible. You don’t have to know HOW it’s possible to hope that it can be.
I’ve been really blessed to meet you
Thanks Fiona. I understand hope; i could not live without it.
Ps- skerrick … i will be spending an inordinate amount of time trying to use that in a sentence soon. you taught me a new word today!
@Fiona : skerrick is so now in my words of reference. Just as Missy says; you taught me a new word. I love to learn something new.
So glad that you are with a space of hope and I didn’t intend to be intrusive on the comments here. Simply had to get up and groove to a new word. (I used to read dictionaries as a young one.)
Words. They have their definitions; sure. Meanings – in my opinion; are held by each individual soul.
dictionaries? me too.
well…of course. wus.
Missy and The Senses, so glad to have shared a new word! Words can be special, can be powerful, can be fun. Do you know of Skedaddle? and Scallywag
I love those words. And they have more than definitions, YES. These words make me feel a warm comfy nostalgia as they were read in a childhood story 
*hugs* to you both xxx
yes, i am familiar with both and i can use them both in a sentence…..
“There is this one scallywag whop keeps lurking around and i wish she would just skeddaddle!”
– mostly grannies use these words in America, and now me. because i love words. and grannies.
PS- That picture was from college days …that was like 14 years ago. Of course i look different but unfortunately i can’t de-wrinkle my skin and stuff.
I’m new to your blog but i had to comment! My friend gave me a photobook with photos of us through Uni and quotes from our conversations or people/films/songs we like. Very funny and it meant the world to me. I’m so glad you have such a lovely friend
xx
so cool. I love those photobook things…it is so bizarre how people are rarely printing photos like old days. Its nice to hold something in your hands other than an ipad you know? just different i guess. thanks for sharing your memento story.