My friend 'Miah.

'Miah and I have been talking for a few months now.  We've emailed, IM'd or called each other pretty much every day.  We've talked about everything.  Everything.  From marriage and parenting to faith and religion, from cooking and food to cars and driving. 

He's listened to me cry after I've come home from a vigil with a patient.  He's heard me in action (we were talking on my cell phone when I got the call on my home phone to go to another vigil).  He's heard me laugh and he's head me speak with anger in my voice. 

I've pissed him off, and he's pissed me off.  We've gone without talking to each other for a few days, but we both were so miserable that we decided we'd be better off talking to each other and being mad than NOT talking to each other at all.  He's been a true friend to me, and I'm very fond of him.

He's fond of me too.  So fond of me that he sent me a birthday gift. 

It arrived today.  He remembered from a conversation we had a while ago that I don't actually own any movies - all the ones we have in the house belong to my husband or my kids.  He also remembered what my favorite movie is - and he got me a copy of 'Shaun Of The Dead'!

Some of you are probably saying to yourselves 'Hmm....I wonder just HOW close they are?  Exactly HOW fond of each other are they?' and wondering about his intentions towards me.  I think that when I tell you the other gift he got for me those intentions will become very, very clear.

He got me a book.  A book titled 'Divorce Busting: a step-by-step approach to making your marriage loving again'.

He knows I've been unhappy and that things haven't been going well at home, but instead of taking advantage of that he's given me something to try and help heal the rift that's appeared between my husband and I (and no, he didn't create the rift, it's been there for a while). 

What an awesome guy.  What a truly wonderful friend.   

Thank you, Miah.  Ad infinitum.