This is Jasmine, a close friend of my daughter Sarah. They have been pals for a long time,
and Jasmine and her parents, Siva and Alison, are woven into the fabric of our lives.
They often take Sarah for evenings and sleepovers, and we usually have to drag Sarah
away from a day-long visit late in the evening. 
.
Sarah is seven years old here, and Jasmine eight. It’s a late afternoon in the spring of 2006,
and we’re on our way to my mother’s home for a visit. We stop to admire the view from the top
of Mount Tolmie, in Victoria, just as the light in the air approaches perfection. They’re perched
on the safety rail, trying to get as high as possible, and, as usual, push the boundaries of safety. 
.
In that moment, their most important concern is basking in the warmth of the sun. And pretending
to not pose for the camera – the play of children becoming young girls.
.
As Sarah and my daughter Charlotte prepare to move up Vancouver Island, to Qualicum Beach,
Jasmine and Sarah face new uncertainties in their relationship. Without being at school together,
will they still be able to maintain their friendship over time and distance? How can we help them
do that? How will all of our lives be different?
.
Mark Heine