The greatest part about friendship is that you can grow separately in different areas of the world but not grow apart. Friends are the sunshine of life. They know all about you and remarkably still like you. I am blessed and privileged to have had so many childhood friends share a landmark birthday with me this week. In fact, the party (along with the roasting) lasted one week! My skiing buddy and lifelong girlfriend Cindy Burton (pictured here) flew in from Vancouver.

Another friend from New York, Ashleigh Banfield sent me a note from her post at ABC. “Hey, Liz. Have you heard? X is the new 30? Which is really a good thing considering you’ve been telling people for years (with remarkable success) that you are still 30! Happy Birthday from NY….you old Biddy (an old nickname). No one loves you more than the Banfields! XoX, Ash”

Well Ash, since you are so much younger than I, I just want you to know that should they appear remember, wrinkles just indicate where your smiles have been. So how about we all practice adding a twinkle to the wrinkle? Sort of catchy, wouldn’t you say? A song anyone?

As Emily Dickenson said “We turn older with years, but newer everyday”. Wouldn’t it be cool to be born 80 and then gradually reach 18?