[CyberTOPS] Tops Friendship Story

[MARY E FREDERICK]

This is the story I sent into Tops magazine in Oct. '08. It finally got
printed in this month's magazine.....! Mary
Sent: Friday, October 10, 2008 8:58 AM
Subject: Tops Friendship Story






                                     TOPS FRIENDSHIP STORY

     This is a Tops love story that has spanned hundreds of miles, has lasted
well over 25 yrs., and has endured, years of separation. It isn't a typical
"guy meets girl" type of love story, but it is a love story nontheless!
     Way back in 1980, I was an active member of Tops and I loved it. I had
lost 103 lbs. and reached my goal. I even won the Better Improvement Contest
and was honored at IRD in San Antonio, Texas. What an honor!
     One day, soon after losing my Kops status and really being down in the
dumps, I was looking in the Tops News. I saw an article about a girl who had
won the Kops Charm and Beauty contest. Her name is Karol Phipps and she lives
in Utah. I liked her story for it helped me and I felt a strong connection to
her even though I had never met or spoken to her. In the days following, she
stayed on my mind, so I contacted Vera Novak, my area captain at the time, and
asked if there was a way I could get in touch with Karol. Vera took my address
and sent it to her so she could write to me. We got to know each other through
the next few letters and I found out in one of them, that she had felt the
same connection from reading my story in the TOPS News and letters to her.
Thus began a lifelong friendship of love and support.
     For the next 2 or 3 years, we were devout penpals. We wrote each other
faithfully. Back then, we didn't have email, so we happily relied on "snail"
mail and an occasional phone call. That connection grew stronger and we grew
to love each other as if we lived right next door! Perhaps the distance
actualy aided in our friendship because we didn't take each other for granted
as sometimes happens when you see someone every day. Anyway, we kept up on our
correspondence and eventually we just knew we would meet somewhere. Soon, we
came upon the answer, RETREAT! - the perfect solution! We both made plans to
attend a Tops Retreat at Pacific Palisades, Ca. in February 1983. What an
amazing week we had together. My friend Vera Novak came through for me again,
and arranged for Karol and I to room together, which is something not usually
done at Retreats. Over those few days we were inseperable! Where Mary was - so
was Karol - and visa versa. We stayed up late into the night gabbing our heads
off, you'd think we never met before, and we became even closer knowing our
time together was to be short. When we had to part at the end of the week
together, we promised to keep in touch. We also went to Disneyland that same
weekend with our families where we spent a great day together at play.
     It wasn't long after that amazing week that my life completely fell
apart, I went through a difficult divorce and plummeted into severe
depression. I cut myself off from the outside world, including Tops and even
my dear friend, Karol.
     As time went on and I slowly began to heal, I thought of Karol often. But
had thrown out or lost all remnants of my previous life and I didn't know how
to contact her again. Time marches on, as it always does, and in 1999 I
remarried and began to rebuild my life with my new husband, John. I also
rejoined Tops in 2005 and shortly after that, a miracle happened again. I was
reading the Tops News (Love that magazine!) and who do you think was there?
That's right, it was Karol, my long, lost friend. She had been in Tops all
those years and now she had won the Greatest Improvement Contest. I was so
excited about it. I immediately called Vera and asked if I could have Karol
contact me by email. She got a hold of her for me and we have been writing to
each other ever since. What a wonderful day it was when we got back together
via email this time. Karol had tried to write for several months, but my
address had changed. She never forgot me and thought of me ofte n over the
next 20 years. We've been close friends since. We write each other a lot and
now instead of cutting myself off when I get depressed, I email my friend who
is always there with a cheerful word and a big "Chin Up". She is such a
support to me and I know I help her too. The love we have for each other never
fails to buoy us both up. We call each other "Sis" because we are as close as
2 sisters ever were, even though hundreds of miles are between us. Karol is
now an Area Captain in Utah and a very devoted Tops  member!
     We haven't been able to actually see face to face because, unfortunately,
finances won't allow it at this time, so I haven't seen Karol in over 25
years. We both long for the day when we can look into each other's eyes, when
we can put our arms around each other and stay up til the wee hours of the
morning and gab our heads off again. We pray for that day to come soon, so we
don't have to look at just photograps of each other.
     We know that our friendship was meant to be. That through a miracle,
Tops, and God, have brought us together - not only once - but twice!!! And we
are grateful beyond words.
     Thanks again Tops - for everything. And for all the wonderful friends I
have made through you.
                                                           Mary Frederick