Every now again, a friend will pay you a compliment so genuine and unexpected that it makes you laugh and touches your heart at the same time.

I received a kind message in response to my last blog post from a dear friend and former neighbor who has celebrated some of my greatest joys and calmed some of my biggest fears. Her message was sent at the end of a string that she had sent two years ago about a dinner party I was planning. Just like the day I received it, it made me laugh out loud.

While she may not be Mark Twain, I thought her wit should be shared nonetheless: “One of the brilliant things about our friendship, I think, is our willingness to challenge the capacity of each other’s liver.”

Cheers.