THE WOMEN IN MY LIFE

Last Friday was no ordinary day. I spent 8 hours complaining in my head about how much I'd rather be somewhere else. I just wanted that day to end because I  knew the coming evening would be eventful. Cile and I flew to San Jose that night to spend the weekend with the girls: Annie, Ate Tin-Tin, Fantone, Gwen, Terry, Isa, Leia and Larnie. We all stayed in Terry & Chary's castle of a house in Fremont. It's HUGE! Cile basically rounded out the whole weekend for us (read her blog for details cuz I’m too lazy to do a play-by-play. Thanks!)

But this weekend wasn’t just about sightseeing, shopping and having drinks with friends, it was about rebirth. It’s the rebirth you feel when you spend time with people you no longer have the privilege of interacting with everyday. It’s reliving all the wonderful moments you shared together for 5 years in 3 days. It’s not having to establish new levels of camaraderie because the old ones never wavered. That’s how I felt this past weekend with these girls. They’re such the reminders of how wonderful it is to have other women in your life.

I know there are a lot of women out there who aren’t as lucky when it comes to having other women friends. Maybe some are just too insecure or too competitive around other women to develop any type of friendship and I think that’s a real shame. I’ve got so many awesome chick friends! Some I’ve known forever and couldn’t bear to imagine my life without. Some I’ve known for a decade or so and can’t imagine the person I might’ve become had it not been for them. Some I’ve barely met but feel like I’ve known all my life. And then there are the women in my family who have not only been my role models, but my peers in life as well. My aunt sent me the following forward about girlfriends and it’s so on-point! Have a read:

When I was little, I used to believe in the concept of one best friend, and then I started to become a woman. And then I found out that if you allow your heart to open up, God will show you the best in many friends. One friend's best is needed when you're going through things with your man. Another friend's best is needed when you're going through things with your momma.  Another when you want to shop, share, heal, hurt, joke, or just be. One friend will say let's pray together, another let's cry together, another let's fight together, another let's walk away together. One friend will meet your spiritual need, another your shoe fetish, another your love for movies, another will be with you in your season of confusion, another will be your clarifier, another the wind beneath your wings. But whatever their assignment in your life, on whatever the occasion, on whatever the day, or where ever you need them to meet you with their gym shoes on and hair pulled back or to hold you back from making a complete fool of yourself. Those are your best friends. 

It may all be wrapped up in one woman, but for many it's wrapped up in several:  One from 7th grade, one from high school, several from the college years, a couple from old jobs, several from church, on some days your mother, on others your sisters, and on some days it's the one that you needed just for that day or week that you needed a fresh perspective, or the one who didn't know all your baggage, or the one who would just listen without judging. Those are good girlfriends/best friends. 

Men are wonderful, husbands are excellent, boyfriends are awesome, male friends are priceless but if you've ever had a real good girlfriend, then you know there's nothing like her! I thank God for girlfriends, those who honor intimacy, those who hold trust, and those who just get your back when you feel like life is just too heavy!  Then there are those girlfriends who have the insight to know when you just need a swift kick in the butt and a firm, "Get over it!" Gotta love 'em. I thank God for girlfriends and the special bond we share that's unique to us. Whether it's words we've shared, prayers we've sent up, laughs, tears, phone calls, emails, shopping, movies, lunches, dinners, late night talks, afternoon talks, weekend talks, all the talking, talking, talking and the listening, listening, listening...whatever we have shared has created this bond.