To My Girlfriends

 

 

During the past week and, indeed, many times over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to pause and appreciate the fantastic women in my life. Just yesterday I was able to sit down with another remarkable woman of influence in my life Gina whom I call my friend of my heart and close confidante.  This friend like all the others mentioned this week encourages me, loves me, and walk s beside me as we find our purposes in God.

 It seems that during the  Best and the worst of times for me, my girlfriends make their gentle, supportive presence known. They’ve always been there to provide wisdom, guidance, a shoulder to cry on when it was needed, and so much more. I’m so grateful to have them in my life.

I remember sitting with my mom at a Meyer and Frank’s café in Portland, Oregon one stormy day as we watched the ice skaters below and my mom gave me some words of wisdom I have never forgotten. “Don’t forget your girlfriends”, Mom recommended while sipping on her hot cocoa. No matter how much you love your family, you are still going to need girlfriends.

Remember to go places with them now and then; and do things with them, even when you don’t necessarily want to, Women supporting and relating to other women is our responsibility and our gift.  What a funny piece of advice, I thought.  I was now a married woman, for goodness sake, not some young girl who needed friends!

But I listened to my Mom. I kept in contact with my girlfriends and even found some new ones along the way.  I gradually came to understand that Mom really knew what she was talking about!

Here is what I know about MY girlfriends:

• Girlfriends bring chocolate during crisis.
• Girlfriends keep your secrets
• Girlfriends give advice when you ask, sometimes you take it and sometimes you don’t.
• Girlfriends don’t always tell you you’re right, but they always tell the truth.
• Girlfriends still love you, even when they disagree with your choices.
• Girlfriends are there for you in an instant, and when the hard times come.
• Girlfriends listen when your children break your heart.
• Girlfriends listen when your parents’ minds and bodies fail.
• Girlfriends hold their son’s hand before a big surgery.
• Girlfriends reminisce how God has changed their lives.

Mom, My daughter Colleen, sisters. my family of GIRLfriends you bless my life!

When we began this adventure, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead.

Nor did we know how much we would need each other…..

 Thank You for being a part of my life.