The World Of Jadeey: February 2007



Simply the best

Tuesday, February 06, 2007
I have the best, best friend in the world. I'm serious. She's amazing.

Every day I was in Auckland last week she texted me to see how I was getting on.

I got back to Wellington on Sunday to tie up the loose ends at work and complete an official handover. (Not as serious as when someone is leaving the company but still requires a lot of formality.) God it was good to be home!

Ingrid came over Sunday night once she had finished work to catch up and hang out for a bit. Once again she watched cricket, which she hates, with me until it was over. Then last night she came over and after about an hour said "I have to go pick up my sister from work. Do you want to come for a ride?" Thinking nothing of it I agreed and off we went. When we arrived at her sisters work she wasn't there. A minute later Ingrid got text message and told me it was her sister saying she'd got a ride home after all. We drove back home and I walked through the gate to find my friends sitting on my front lawn.

Yes, I was actually completely, 100% surprised by my surprise party! It must have taken a hell of a lot of organisation since we were only gone 10 minutes and they had all arrived and put out the food. She said she knew how upset I had been been that I was away from my friends and family on my birthday and that she hoped the party would help.

Did it ever! The multitude of text messages I received on my birthday had helped as well (almost every staff member texted me!). But, the effort my friends went to for the party made me feel so loved.

I was reading in a magazine that when Nathan Astle made the decision to retire from international cricket he went and told Stephen Fleming (his best friend) and telling him was the hardest part of the decision for Nathan. Stephen apparently said he understood and would support Nathan in the decision. A little while later Stephen sent him a text message just saying "I'll miss you". This apparently brought a tears to Nathan Astle's eyes and I totally understand it after reading Ingrid's message in my birthday card. There's a very big difference between knowing you are loved and appreciated by a friend and getting proof of it. Just the simple words "I'll miss you" are very powerful and Ingrid's note was almost enough to make me say forget it I'm not going.

Not to diminish the fact that my other friends turned up. I love them all too and am so happy they made the effort. But there is a reason some friends are called 'best friend'.