Friendship is one of the most important relationships we form in our lives. From earliest childhood, our friends are the ones who share our hopes, dreams, fears, and fantasies. It is on the firm foundation of friendship that love grows, and it is on this same foundation that lifetime bonds are sealed. Friends accept us as we are and travel with us down life's path -- allowing us to remain individuals; permitting us to walk hand-in-hand. A friend is dear, whether next door or a world away, because the bond of friendship keeps us close...enriching our lives with the joy and happiness of knowing we are friends.