Molly was the “girl next door” (actually across the street) in my life and, most significantly, my best friend from age three to seven. At the time I did not understand how important this relationship would be to me in shaping my adult life, even though I saw Molly only once after age eleven. As a parent, I have also seen how my son Eric benefited from a similar relationship with a girl who lived across the street and became his best friend for several years.

Molly and I were comrades of the soul. We played pretend astronauts and soldiers and created innumerable adventures together. We always had the spot next to each other at each other’s birthday parties, no matter how many other kids were there. There was nothing that divided us. Continue reading →