Being an artist I sometimes stare at my canvas to see if any of the brushstrokes I have made take on different shapes and forms with each stroke of color. Some might be just straight lines, while in others you see a definite object jutting out from the canvas or watercolor paper. Like clouds in the sky, we try to see objects floating above us and in some we see definite shapes of an animal or other object flying above us.

Just like the paintbrush with all its strokes or the clouds taking over the sky above us, friendships are also a blend of many colors, shapes and sizes. Our friends are what support us whenever we are down, are worried about something or need a favor. There are casual acquaintances, some one you might just say a quick ''hello" to, or a person who calls you frequently to see just how you are, but you do not socialize with them. Then there is a friend with whom you confide and share your most personal problems with and know that they will keep the things you have shared in confidence. Not all of us have friends like that.

Over the last 28 years I have had such a friend and even though she is twenty years older than I, we have a strong bond of friendship that is unsurpassed. We confide in and help each other by being sounding boards. Her age, the era she was raised in, or the type of lifestyle she now has makes no difference. What matters is the friendship that can never be replaced. Just like the colors on the canvas, she has brought color to my life over these last 28 years and has helped shape my life when days or things somehow lost their color.

MAKE FRIENDS TODAY AND START PAINTING THAT CANVAS OF MANY COLORS!