The Greatest Gift in Life: Friendship

When I was 9 years old, I moved to Hampton, Virginia from NYC.  I was a cornrow and beads wearing, big personality in a little girl body, placed in the epitome of middle class of suburbia.  Up until that point, to me, if you were light skinned, you where Puerto Rican, and the only place to buy candy was the corner store.

My world was blown when with this move, I was introduced to a concept called "mixed" where your parents were not the same race and 7-11's, which seemed to me the "bodega" for the rich!

In the beginning I felt out of place and especially in my elementary school where the little black girls all had "bangs", relaxed hair, or jerry curls. My clothes, accent, and braids made me stick out like spring in an old mattress.

So much so, I caught the attention of another young girl of my same age.  She worked in the library as a helper.  She was smart, witty, and very mature for a 9 year old.  When she saw me at the library with my little mini skirt and opaque tights, matching socks, and sneakers, she did not like me one bit.  I was unaware that I was being watched. She checked out my handwriting in a notebook I left behind one day and decided that it {my handwriting} was "ugly" and I had a stupid walk with a big butt.  She turned up her nose at me, the new girl at school.

But as fate would have it, we shared a classroom the very next year.  It was 5th grade and our teacher's name was Mrs. Pitts.  And although, I do not remember all of the fine details that brought us together, it indeed happened and we are still friends to this very day.

My Friendship Gift

My best friend, Janine, is a Gemini.  She is highly spiritual and is my favorite prayer partner.  She lives in the same area that we grew up in and attends church nearly EVERY Sunday.  She is active in church as the leader of the prayer intercessory team.  What that means is, she's the one that will get down on the floor with you and stand in "the gap"between you and want you are asking God for. She will strong hold your prayer request and will not let go until God's promise is manifest in your life.  POWERFUL.

Now we are the odd couple because on the surface, I probably do not look like I don't have a "holy" bone in my body and she seems to have an aura of magnificent grace.  I like to wear sweat pants, sneakers, jeans and I swear… a lot. Janine is a girl girl in dresses, panty hose, alway a fly pair of shoes and speaks eloquently at all time.   But that is on the surface.  Underneath it all,  we are the same type of silly as we both love a good psychological thriller, seafood, shopping, and travel.  She and I will talk in the wee hours of the morning about old boyfriends, life lessons learned, and the hopeful events of the near and distance future.

My gift has been there for me through thick and thin, her family is my family, my kids are her children.  Every time I gave birth, she was there to help me prepare my mind for the task at hand.  Every time I was homeless, she tried to make room for my kids and I to have a place to lay our heads.  She has prayed me through my divorce.  And at the crack of dawn, when I couldn't think straight,  I know I can call her and she will help me screw my head back on.  But most of all she accepts me and all my crazy just has I am.

The gift that she is to my life is priceless.  The love that I have for her is unconditional.

I once told my ex husband that I think that if  Janine was a man she would be my ideal husband.  I think he knew then that it was over between us because our bond was no where as tight as the one that I had with my bestie.  I mean we can go for months, weeks, (I don't know about years) without speaking but when we do… it is as if we are still 13, sneaking to  watch Aresino Hall over the phone, on late night TV… we are thick as thieves and tight as… ok you get the point.

Well last night when I was in the studio recording my new album, Janine came through for a few hours to support me. After reminding me that pizza hut always makes my stomach hurt and warned me of a day on the toilet if I didn't take it easy or the cheesy,  she got in the booth with to harmonize my upcoming single #Winning.  

As usual, and with no surprise, my best friends was there to give my VOICE a boost just when I needed it; and in the knick of time.


I am so grateful as her presence gave me a second wind and was tthe highlight of my night.  I know that  this project it is going to be sparktacular because everything we ever do together as friends as always words out amazingly.

I love this woman so much and just wanted to say so.  Thank you Janine Sellers for being my best friend and a super Sparkstar!

Keep Winning!

xx

MJ