Friendship, what is?

I guess I could pull out a dictionary, as I am so wont to do, and just define it based on a bunch of editors' decisions. That's perfectly valid, but not what I'm getting at.

These last few days I was out of town (invited to share in holiday cheer by close friends), and I invited my friend J-Prime to stay at my place because her shower is acting up and so is her heat, so I thought, "great, she can look after the cat, take a shower, and enjoy some regularly dispensed heat."

I think many of you know I am a slob and that I lack taste, or at least I am lazy enough to do nothing about my taste. It's probably the former -- I cannot decorate a closet much less and entire apartment.

So.

This wasn't planned, but my friend, J-Prime, not only cleaned my entire apartment (except the office which she knew she shouldn't), but reorganized everything, and ....

not only that, went shopping at Linens 'n' Things (Linens and Things?), Ikea, Home Depot, and God knows where else, and provided my apartment with some sense of style and comfort.

She did it because she wanted to do it for me (and okay, yeah, maybe she was bored). I felt like crying when I got home (but I can only do that when I watch Wit and I'm not sure where I put that DVD).

I've done similar things for people in the past without much thought other than, "he/she is going to be really pleased by this," and it's very nice to be on the receiving end of that. I have been before, many times really, but this ... well, this is right up there with Chika and Zilla. Why would someone put so much effort into my comfort?

I don't know, but I do know to be grateful for it. I feel loved. It's nice.

Lovers and significant others and husbands and wives are all probably the all-consuming important relationships in all our lives, but there is nothing like friendship -- the kind that doesn't ask for anything in return other than that you are happy, safe, healthy, and doing your best.

I couldn't go on without any of these friends, and it soothes my heart to know I have another. It isn't just the effort on the apartment; there have been lots of things J-Prime and I have shared in the last year. And here I thought you just couldn't even make close friends after a certain age.

My friends Zilla, Sabrena, Mike, Nancy-Joe, Helen, J-Prime -- my life wouldn't be the same without you.

I'm touched by kindness these last few days. And on the off chance J-Prime is reading this, just deal with my bout of sentimentality.

A lot of crappy stuff has happened in my life lately, and it doesn't seem to matter to me. It's a hell of a lot easier to get up each day and look at problems in the eye when you know people care about you.

Before I start my Dionne Warwick "That's What Friends are For" karaoke, I'll stop.

I'm lucky, lucky, lucky.

I hope you are too.