A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words

They say that a picture is worth 1000 words. It's true. All you have to do is flip through your own photo album or check out the photos of the day over at National Geographic to recall or invent stories that go along with each image.  Like this one.

Boy With Balloon, India
Photograph by Kamala Kannan 

Doesn't that just tell a hundred potential tales? Hubby says the kid is probably running from zombies. Balloon-loving zombies.

What about a picture that says 1000 words that are unrelated to its own visual image? I happen to have such a painting on my bedroom wall.

You see, it's a painting of an elephant but it tells the story of a beautiful friendship.




Let me start at the beginning. I have this amazing friend that I met many moons ago through work. She wasn't a co-worker but we both worked on the same side of a large corporate deal. I totally picked her up by suggesting that if all the guys were going to go for celebratory drinks we should too. She was so easy. I'm glad she was because over the following years she turned out to be one of the best people I've ever known.

We had so many good times together. That chick is a totally sympathetic listener (and we ladies all know how important that is), hilarious and she is ridiculously good-looking. Who else could you spend two sushi lunch dates plus some evenings and weekends with every week? Ahhh those lunch dates. The Sush. Plus she helped Hubby carry me home from my stag and held my hair and bowl while I puked. One Thanksgiving we drank non-alcoholic wine together because we were on a cleanse. Not many people will sacrifice like that for each other. Have you ever tasted non-alcoholic wine?

Eventually she decided to grab her life by the horns and move across the country for a change of scenery and to further her career. I missed her SO much. She left me while I was hormonal and pregnant too so that was kind of inconsiderate on her part. She knows I'm kidding. As she was packing up some of her art for her move, she gifted to me her elephant painting knowing how much I loved it. I promised her I'd always tell our soon to be evicted son that it was from his Aunt R (and I have).

Shortly after that I gave birth to E. 8 months after that we moved to the US. So now R and I are an entire vertical and horizontal country length apart.

I went through some really great times (getting married, getting pregnant) and some awfully bad times (miscarriages, relationship problems) with her by my side. This woman is one of the most caring, loyal, encouraging, supportive, beautiful (inside & out) and brilliant friends I've ever known.

I was writing in my journal a lot more back then and, as one does with journals, wrote some intense personal thoughts but as I go back and re-read I see so many bright sparks entitled 'Conversations with R'. I even told her about it one day shortly before her relocation. Those little snippets are often weird, raunchy, silly and hilarious. When I look at that elephant I am reminded of these conversations. It's like getting warm hug from a best friend.

Even with the time and distance apart I still consider her one of my most trusted people and I'd do anything for her. She is one of the true friends that have lasted throughout the years and for that I thank her. We don't get to see each other or talk much anymore due to a time difference but I hope to get up her way soon and if that happens you are probably going to see one hell of a crazy post.

So you see, this Thanksgiving I wanted to share how that picture is worth way more than 1000 words. It's worth more than anyone could imagine.

Miss you R.
xoxo