I met Jayne at a picnic in 1973. Our husbands were employed by the same fire department. Jayne and I were typical 1970's housewives who shopped, talked on the phone, cooked, cleaned and cared for our children. She had two daughters; I had a son and daughter; all were close in age. As couples we went out most Saturday nights when our husbands were off duty.

When I had a third child, a daughter, Jayne became her godmother. Shortly thereafter my social drinking escalated. Jayne, a non-drinker, never preached and never condoned. My marriage deteriorated and I got divorced. So did Jayne. We accompanied each other to court.

During the years that followed, our friendship faltered at times. I was hitting rock bottom. My children were living with their father and I was involved in an abusive relationship. Through the self-centeredness, late night calls, and a suicide attempt, I could see that Jayne was losing patience with me, but she stood by me anyway. It must have been difficult for her to know that I could only save myself. She was holding on out of loyalty and I was holding on out of desperation. She was the only one I could turn to without being judged. My family looked upon me as a lost cause.

I ended the abusive relationship in l984, remarried in 1985 and stopped drinking in 1988. That was nine years ago. No one could know how much more we would both have to endure ... a 1989 car accident rendering my son a quadriplegic ... the death of Jayne's beloved father ... my son's coma and death from an overdose of insulin ... my subsequent depression and weight loss to 88 lbs. ... and, most recently, Jayne's daughter's surgery for a brain tumor (prognosis good).

Standing beside Jayne at the hospital with other members of her family, I thought about all we have been through together. I now look at things that I once took for granted, such as family and friendship, as gifts to be cherished. Thank God I went to that picnic in 1973. And thank you, Jayne, for being there. --- Love, Joanne

Please send questions or comments to bbruno@snet.net.