16. Leyla

Today is the birthday of my great and lovely friend Leyla.

You can tell from this picture that we have been friends for long time. In fact, we first met when we were in utero, but I don’t actually remember that meeting. That was back in the place of our birth: Princeton, New Jersey.

Although we were close as girls, we hadn’t seen much of each other for 40-some years.

And then somehow, we WERE in touch. A few encounters here and there. And then an invitation to visit her on March 6, 2020. I hopped on a bus from Baltimore to NYC and went for a weekend visit. For those of you paying attention, March 6 was days before a world-wide pandemic was declared. And NYC was the epicenter for the U.S.

Our visit was so fun and lovely. It was one of those cases of picking up where we left off 40+ years ago. One of the little pandemic miracles was reconnecting just as the world was shutting down. And being in touch every month or so through the ups and downs. One other person out there who has my back, knows my heart, can help carry my load.

I think that because we were girls together we can see, in each other, the young girl behind the façade. She was so elemental to my growing up, that I am more myself for being with her.

How to describe Leyla? She is caring and curious. Smart and funny. She is love personified.

An old friend and a new friend in one.

Happy Birthday Leyla!