Anonymous wrote:She is almost exactly 3 years older & we are now in our late 30s & early 40s. Except for a period of a few years when she was about 12-16 & I was about 9-13, we have always been close. I have no kids of my own but am very close to her 2 kids (my nephews) & help her & my brother-in-law out with them frequently, watch them on weekends/days off from school, pick them up from school often, etc. I was recently extremely ill & she was (& still is) my rock who has been there for me in so many ways without my even asking & despite being very busy herself with a career, DH, many friends, & 2 active kids under the age of 7.
Our family isn’t perfect (whose is?) — our parents are divorced & there are some depression, PTSD, anxiety, & ADHD issues— but we are overall very lucky because we have each other. We are very much best friends & always do our best to be there for each other.
^ We are very different in a lot of ways (she is much more extroverted & less socially anxious, for instance) & we probably wouldn’t have become friends randomly if not related but somehow the relationship works.