So You've Got to Have Friends

I couldn't remember the name of the song, but it goes something like, "And You've got to have friends...." I can hear the tune in my head, but I can't seem to remember the words enough to find it online. Previously, I have talked about "Beautiful Enemies", those friends who aren't just there to pat us on the back, but to pick us up off our butts when we get slapped down and to remind us to pay attention to what's going on around us. Those friends who don't always agree with us, and help us see the other side. Well, I talked about my husband being my "beautiful enemy", but I missed saying something about someone who has been my friend for a long time, in a very different way, my daughter. I was really young when she was born, never had been around babies before, but I was certainly awe struck with her, and very possessive. As she grew up, we didn't always have the best of relationships--I guess I thought she was a Daddy's girl, and figured that since I had three boys after her, I could let her go bond with him. It wasn't until she was an adult, with kids of her own, and she moved to Hotlanta too, that I really had the opportunity to get to know her as a friend. Now, it isn't always smooth sailing between us, because we are very different in some ways, but I can say that she has been that female friend that I never really had a chance to have. With 4 kids and a very demanding job, I was lucky to have time for my family. But, my daughter has been there for me, when I'm down, or lonely, or mad. She has taken a load of burden off me with my sons when they get rowdy and crazy. She listens to then for me and counsels them, when she knows I will just be mad about the chaos they have created. (I must say my oldest son no longer falls in this category. He has been a champ and I count him as another friend). But, back to my daughter. We've had some wild experiences together. One time, when I was stationed out on Saipan, she went with me to Tinian and we sang karaoke until the wee hours at a little bar on the island. I have gotten to be with her in the delivery room for the birth of her oldest son and the twins. We cook dinner together quite often (she cooks , I clean). We argue about why Zyira on Rock Star Supernova should be gone.(She likes her, I like Delana) We watch America's Next Top Model, but she refuses to watch Survivor--the folks are too dirty.
As a friend and not the parent, I've had to learn how to hold my tongue sometimes and so has she. I know I can never make up for not being the kind of mother she needed when she was young, but I hope that I'm getting better at being the kind of friend she would like me to be.

So, since this seems to be my day of tributes--here is to my daughter!!!.

And, thanks to one of my other friends, I have the words to the song!
Bette Midler - Friends -Alternate Lyrics:
the feeling''s oh so strong.
You got to have friendsto make that day last long.
Had some friends, but they''re gone,somethin'' came and took them away
,and from the dusk ''til the dawnhere''s where I will stay
.Standing at the end of the road, boys,waitin''
for my new friends to come.
I don''t care if I''m hungry or cold, freezing.I got to get me some.''
Cause you got to have friends.
Ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba.Friends.
"Oh, that''s the favorite part of my voice, you know.I really like to get up.
Hm."Oh, friends."Thank you."Oh, friends, friends, friends, friends.I had some friends, oh, but they’re all gone, gone.Somethin'' took ''em away,and from the dusk ''til the dawnhere is where I''m gonna stay, you know, oh.Standing at the end of a real long road, Jack,and I''m waitin'' for my new friends to come,and I don''t care if I''m hungry or freezing, freezing cold.You gotta, you gotta get me some.''Cause you gotta have,"you gotta have friends. I''m telling you. I am speaking ''cause I know. It’s going too fast. We’re all going too fast! I''m trying to tell you to slow down! They’re hard to come by! Those friends are hard to come by! I didn’t have many friends, you know. But, things are getting better now. And I think it’s gonna be okay, ''cause I have a couple now."Friends,you gotta, you gotta, you gotta have friends, friends.You gotta, you gotta, you gotta have friends, friends.