My Best Friend is a Grandmother

 It is as grandmothers that our mothers come into the fullness of their grace. ~Christopher Morley~

Do you have a best friend? I’m not talking about “one of the girls”, or a friend that you relate to more than others. I’m talking about one of those tried and true, tested, stressed and blessed friendships that just keep going. I’m fortunate. God has blessed me with two of  them. One is my sister Sherrie, and the other is Lavern.

Lavern and I were in the same kindergarten class at McDaniel Elementary in South Philly. Her family moved and we didn’t see each other again until the first day of school when we were starting tenth grade at Overbrook High School. We ran into each other on the steps, started talking, decided to ditch school and go hang out on Belmont Plateau in Fairmount Park. We’ve been besties ever since.

Together we went through high school boyfriends, marriages, husbands and a few other raggedy relationships.  😀 Both of us wound up raising our sons as single moms who did the best we could with what we had. Yet, over the years, through all of our individual and shared transformations, our bond has remained intact.  Yes, there has been numerous arguments and we’ve even “cussed” each other out on more occassions than I can remember. Believe me when I tell you – our relationship has gone through the fire and the flood. It’s been battered and bruised but never broken.

And here we are, celebrating fourty years of friendship and her first grandchild.

 Akin “Tola” Lakeru

born on Mother’s Day.

All I can say right about now is: “Thank You, Lord!”

May God Bless and Keep Him, Always!