Three Wise Women

I wonder what draws people together, year to year, day to day. Who we keep in our lives and those  that drop by the the wayside either intentionally or not.  I know two women I went to High School with in San Francisco. We met when we were 14, as Freshman, we were in several school clubs together yet we were three very different girls. Joy was from a typical San Francisco  immigrant Italian family. Her mother was always feeding us! Joy is first generation Italian. Joy has a quick wit, sharp mind and a mothering sense in her that won't quit. Kelley was from a typical Irish family, not first generation but her parents led by tradition that was embedded deep in their life. Kelley is fun and fun to be with. Trusting to a fault in her personal life, but has a BS radar in Business that would make her a great candidate for the FBI. Both pretty with wonderful smiles. I am half first generation Filipino, my father married a Caucasian woman. Daddy, he passed when I was 9 so I always remember him as "Daddy", was a musician, Western Union Delivery Man and Gardner (just like an SNL skit) and Mom a nursing student and singer. More on that later.

We are now 57 and have been in and out of each others lives. We reconnected through Facebook (thank you FB). For the last 3 years we have had lunch every few months or so. Sometimes we invite others but usually it's just us three. Today we talked about why we were so drawn to each other a friends. Why do we trust our deepest darkest secrets to one another? We are not blood related, we did not even grow up in similar homes but we were all raised strictly Catholic. Today we proceeded to tell each other some things that were deeply personal not knowing what kind of reaction to expect but knowing deep in our hearts the trust was there. 

I cannot share my friends stories with you as they are not my stories to tell but I can tell you a few of my stories in hopes that maybe it will help someone else who reads this, has experienced what I've gone through and think  that they are alone. Because today, I felt better when I saw the acceptance of me as a person in these dear friends eyes when I told them something I was deeply ashamed of. I would like to do that for others that do not have someone to talk with or trust. I would also like to share how these two women effect my life, then and now. 

I have always wanted to write a book but didn't know where to start and find the feat daunting. But, with technology the way it is and my like for Computers, I can write a blog and maybe someday put it all together.

So, here goes nothing, off to find out how to put a blog on the www!

Mary Elissa 

San Francisco, Ca.

P.S. Found it!