My best friend caught me "Time After Time"

I found myself in my beautiful home town a few weeks ago. I had a blast from the past as I heard the song "Time After Time" by Cindi Lauper. I passed the mall and I had a flashback to a beautiful Californiagolden summer day back in 1980 something. Cindi's song came on in my best friend's blue Datsun  car. I remember it was stick sift and had a rainbow sticker on the back window. My bff and I loved the song. It was a big hit on the radio. I found myself signing by The Oaks Mall only it was now 2016. My mind went back to all my best friend and I had been through as she has been one of the few people to stand by my side in the hills and the valleys of life. Penny was there that summer of the earth shattering diagnosis that changed my world. She was in the room where I had the pink neon shaggy soft on your feet rug when I felt like I was losing my mind. I did not understand what was happening to me. It was my first mania back in 1995. She was just there for me. I felt her love and friendship that day. That friendship stayed with me "Time After Time" in all the years after the diagnosis and to this day. If you don't understand that much about bipolar you must realize that when a person with bipolar disorder has mania they are very hard to be around. It is as if another person emerges. and in my case I became very moody, anxious, agitated, and filled with enough energy to climb the highest mountain on the planet. I felt as if I could reach out and touch the sun. I felt invincible. So many friends would have jumped ship on that day. Penny's never did. Penny showed me and continues to show me the true meaning of friendship and acceptance without  judgment. She has been quick to forgive me throughout my entire life.. I often wonder if she was the one who had bipolar disorder if I would be that loyal all these years. I hope the answer would be yes, but honestly I am not sure if bipolar would have destroyed our friendship. I hope all of you who take the time to read this have a Penny in your life. My mental illness would have been so much harder to deal without her. I am forever grateful for her friendship