I Want to Thank You

My life went from 0 to 60 in what seems like overnight. I feel like I am behind on everything from reading, to cleaning to the 220 emails beckoning for my attention. This whirlwind that has become my life has also left me in limbo from telling my girlfriends that I love me and how important they are to me.

I had been meaning to buy cards and mail them but being that I don't keep with up with addresses, mailing cards would be another chore in itself. It is common knowledge that I am not particularly fond of the telephone and I really didn't want call all of those yahoos anyway. So I figured most of my friends read my blog and they would see their thank you electronically. To all of my friends that I have had since I was knee high to a grass hopper to the ones that have rallied around me within the past year, YOU ARE THE BEST and I mean it from the bottom of my heart.

I know some of you all, ahem April, consider yourself "thugs" and don't do well in the 'expressing your feelings' section but I love you and I refuse to take it back.

In my line of work as well of my everyday life, I come across many folks who have been betrayed by friends or whose friends have flat out deserted them. I can say wholeheartedly that that's not my story. All criticism directed towards me has always been constructive and has always come from a loving place (or I have been bamboozled to believe.)

It has always been said and I have always believed that to have a friend is to be one. Since I don't have any siblings, I've always kept my friends close to me. The ironic thing is that most of my friends are either only children themselves or the oldest child. That dispels the rumor that strong-minded women can't get along. We get along and we get whatever needs to get done, we get her done. We are the A-Team.

My longest friendship, which I think is common knowledge by now, has been with Cherish (last name with held in case she's on the lam). She says that we met when I offered her some of my birthday cake in kindergarten. She must really had the IT factor 'cause I don't share my cake with nobody. No ma'am. For those of you that are counting, that's over 25 years ago and she's been my girl. (Take that Oprah and Gail!) We have never fought about anything, agree to disagree often and our fashion tastes are like night and day. The ties that bind us are our strong wills, humor, desire to succeed and delighting in most things edible. We learned all these traits as Girl Scouts. Her mom was our troop leader. Brownies around the world, stand up![[EMOTICON:SMILEY1]]

So I just want to thank those who have nurtured me. Since my heart is so much larger than my hands, I hate to name names because I am bound to forget someone. However, whenever life seems a little rough, always know that you are the foundation that keeps Sherri Blaise together.

Whether it was a laugh (Sydni and the finger puppets)or a song (April and the Alicia Myers songs gone all wrong) there was always someone to deliver. Rosie (one of the best BFF's in the world. Whatever I needed, you made it happen), Ebony (your silent strength is the business. You have taken care of me forever. I still remember that mac and cheese you cooked for me when we were 12. Your mom is in heaven smiling, girl. You are an amazing woman), Q, (a lil pocket padding goes a long way, thanks), Ber (no one can stay down long with you and those one liners), Jean (thank you for letting me cry and reminding me of my power. You have a supernatural calling on your life, my dear. Me and your mama talked about it. That's right. I called yo mama!), Theda (giving me all those sweets that I didn't need and trying to counteract it with apples. I was constipated for days), Summer (you always say I encourage you but I dig your sunny outlook on the regular. You're a boss), Kelly (I know you can get a prayer through) Mai and Meg (did we exhale ladies or did we exhale? And look at us now...so much better) Corin and Kim (your thoughtful texts don't go unnoticed), Shana, Brynna, Mama Jones (the visits were nothing short of hilarity and encouraging) and I can't forget mt Florida crew, KP, Yetta, Dia, Nicole, Miriam, Nay Nay-I would be literally dead without you gals.

To say that I am blessed is an understatment. To all the women I forgot to mention, remember blame my head not me heart. Be blessed...


A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails. ~Donna Roberts

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. ~Albert Schweitzer

Soul-mates are people who bring out the best in you. They are not perfect but are always perfect for you. ~Author Unknown

The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart. ~Elisabeth Foley

The most I can do for my friend is simply be his friend. ~Henry David Thoreau