A Pleasant Day in Pleasant Grove

I first met Brit in junior high school. She was outgoing, popular, and friendly to everybody. I was much less so. We became friends at age 13 when we both tried out for cheerleader. Our friendship grew, and by high school we were inseparable. We talked on the phone several times a day. We took long walks on the boulevard and then sat on streetcorners for hours to finish our conversations. We carpooled to school every day. We had sleepovers every weekend. We went on each others' family vacations. We read each other our journals. We shared half gallons of Snelgroves Burnt Almont Fudge ice cream in the middle of the night. We loved it that our birthdays are 4 days apart, we are the same height, and our eyes are exactly the same color of hazel green. We were best friends in every sense of the word.

After high school, we were roommates during our freshman year at BYU. Brit was still outgoing, popular, and friendly to everybody. I was even much less so than I had been in high school, in part because I hated Utah County. We routinely stayed up late talking into the wee hours of the morning, discussing everything under the sun. We shared clothes, groceries, and rides home for the weekend. We took long walks to Brackmans Bagels in the dead of winter because neither of us had a car. We both gained the standard "freshman 10" pounds, probably because we were still sharing half-gallons of ice cream in the middle of the night.

After our first year at BYU, we both decided we'd had enough of Utah County. She backpacked through Europe with her brother and cousin and I transferred to the U. It was the first time in over 5 years that our lives took us in different directions and it was a big adjustment. Since then, our lives have continued on their individual paths but we have always remained close.

Brit is still outgoing, popular, and friendly to everybody. And I'm still quite anti-social by comparison. This point was driven home to me earlier this week when I spent the day with Brit in Pleasant Grove. Brit was giving me a walking tour of her neighborhood and we couldn't walk 5 feet without Brit greeting or waving to one of her neighbors. As we stopped to chat with various neighbors representing all walks of life, it was apparent to me how much Brit's neighbors love her and how lucky they are to have her around. Brit was in her element. I was not. I teased her that I felt like we were in Leave it to Beaver. And she told me that I am her fancy "city mouse" friend.

As I drove home, I reflected on what an amazing person she is. She is kind, selfless, and giving. Anybody who knows Brit understands her uncanny ability to make everybody feel welcome. She is an amazing mother and is raising her daughter to exhibit the same wonderful qualities she possesses. And almost 20 years after we first met, she is still one of my very best friends.

Brit, I love you. Thanks for a pleasant day in Pleasant Grove. Let's do it again soon!