Thankful Number 9

I am thankful for best friends and high mountains. Do you have a very best friend? It seems like such an elementary thing to ask, but the truth is, I do. Cabrena is my best friend. We grew up across the street from each other and played Barbie dolls and "revived dead grasshoppers," we helped each other through hard times in our youth and even shared clothes and Grapenuts in college. We are the best of friends. This is a priceless thing that we have and if you have it with someone too, I encourage you to let them know. I did...teary eyed and all, I did. And you know, if anything happens, she'll know how much she means to me, and that is most important. Happy 30th my dearest, nearest friend.

It is fitting, that on her 30th birthday we climbed Camelback mountain together. Climbing a mountain, no matter it's height, holds so many good analogies and metaphors for life. Cabrena, her sister Veronica, and I spent 3 hours on Saturday on that mountain. It was a beautiful fall day in Phoenix and we were ready for an adventure. The first part of the climb was easy. It got our blood moving and our hearts pumping. We stopped a couple times to look at the view, take some pics and rest. Things started getting a bit harder. Some places were hand over foot climbs, right on the edge of the mountain. Some places were tight squeezes. Each of us had a few slips and falls. Nearing the top, we almost decided to turn back and be done with our little adventure, but we were so close and we made the choice to finish it. The last bit was surprisingly simple and when we did reach the top, it was so worth the climb. A lot like life, isn't it.