Dear friend Vickie emailed the following to me today and it says so eloquently how I feel about my girlfriends:
“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 would show you the best in many friends.
One friend is needed when you’re going through things with your man.
Another friend is needed when you’re going through things with your mom.
Another will sit beside you in the bleachers as you delight in your children and their activities.
Another when you want to shop, share, heal, hurt, joke, or just be.
One friend will say, “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 wherever 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,
on some days your mother,
on some days your neighbor,
on others, your sisters,
and on some days, your daughters.”
Another friend responded to Vickie’s email with ” There was nothing in there about the friend for when “you quit your six-figure job and everyone thinks you’ve lost your mind” time in your life!” But it’s true – our girlfriends are there for everything that matters!
For all those fabulous women in my life, YOU are in this message – in fact, you’re probably in there several times. Years ago (when I was single) a friend gave me a Valentine that said “Boyfriends may come and go…..but girlfriends are forever!” I once thought about writing a book about what I learned while I was single and the title would have been “Girlfriends Are Forever” – but true love knocked me for a loop and that book is only a fleeting memory.
Best of all is when you are as blessed as I am to have 2 wonderful daughters who after you’ve dealt with the Trying 2′s, the F’ing 4′s, the Agonizing Adolescent years and the Terrible 20′s still call and ask if you want to go to lunch or to the mall or come over for dinner.
What girlfriends have blessed your life? And have you told them lately how important they are?
