Asmyfortiethbirthdayapproaches，inevitableasanewhair-do，IrealizehowmanywomenfriendsI'vehadovertheyears．Mosthavecomeandgonewiththechangesoflife，justlikethelatestshoefashionswaltzinandoutofmycloset．Someo

　　As my fortieth birthday approaches，inevitable as a new hair-do，I realize how many women friends I've had over the years．Most have come and gone with the changes of life，just like the latest shoe fashions waltz in and out of my closet．

　　Some of my friends，like some of my shoes，were silly mistakes．They never did fit properly，and they always felt slightly"off"，no matter how hard I tried to fit my feet into them．Others were my absolute favorite for a while，but they wore out or wore off．All style and no substance； the quality just wasn't there．

　　Then there are my true friends-the ones who，like a pair of fine shoes，never go out of style or out of favor，whose appeal and value just increase with wear and time．These are friends who stay in touch and stand by me-as if they and I have never gone off to a new state，or a new job．Physical distance does not separate us； time does not change the fundamental fact of our friendship； the wear and tear of life does not stop us．The sole still support us； the colors and lines still please us； the uppers，still strong but grown soft，gently bent around feet．Our connection is securely fastened，unaffected by the whirlwind of changes we've each been through，even when life carries us in different directions．

　　If the comparison fits…

　　Deborah is the evening shoe，elegant and lovely．She appreciates the finer things，choose only the best，and still looks polished long after the rest of us have drooped．She is a study in elegance and knows the difference between bone，and winter white．From this splendid treasure，I've come to recognize my own appreciation for the finer things in life-and to the realization that I deserved them．

　　Jane is that pair of essential，timeless pumps that I wear often and would be lost without．With this classic，my basic needs and comfort level are assured-leaving me time and energy for fun．I can move gracefully from day to night，from work to play，from jokes to discussion．My st