...seldom in life---are you lucky enough to collect friends as beautiful and valuable as rare jewels...and in my life, I've been lucky to collect quite a few...I am Blessed with loving friendships...at times I would feel sorrow for myself (silently) as I so desperately lacked the luster of family...but through my tears I saw the precious pearls...the glistening rubies...the sparkle of emerald...my true friends glisten like the beauty of a gem...and as precious as these gems are---that is how precious they are to me...