Girlfriends

I’m not really the type of person who has a lot of close friends. I tend to keep people at arm’s length and not let them too close. I’m not sure why that is, but I have some theories – maybe because I got burned badly by friends in high school, maybe because I’m so busy with all my JOBS that I don’t have time to tend to friendships like I should, or maybe I’m just too selfish with my time to be a good friend to others. Anyway, I was reflecting this weekend about some of the best girlfriends I have ever had and wanted to share some of my thoughts, in no particular order. There’s Candice, my most underappreciated friend. We were together constantly during around 1998-2001. She was there when I was going through the new mommy phase and the very trying mommy of a toddler phase. She was there when I moved from a 3000 sq.-foot house into a trailer about the size of a matchbox. And she was there at all the family functions so faithfully that my family thought it odd if Candice was missing. We went to church together and did VBS together, she was my right hand. But when she had her first child and started going through the new mommy phase, I moved away, like 200 miles away, and let her down. I never appreciated what a faithful and available friend she was while I had the opportunity. I’ve not had a friend like that since. One of my favorite things about her: Her SARCASM. She should really bottle her eye-rolling technique and sell it. LOL
There’s Lula, my most entertaining friend. She could always (and still can) make me laugh at the drop of a hat. We’ve been friends for over 10 years. Wow! I can’t believe that. She is sensitive, like me, and funny and caring … and one of those fabulous friends you can always pick up with right where you left off, whether it be six minutes ago or six months ago. She was a great mediator between me & Artie when we used to have disagreements. She is mature beyond her years and I wish I had the opportunity to see her more. There’s Joanne, my wise and frank friend who is not afraid to tell it like it is, like it or lump it. She married one of my best guy friends several years ago, and I remember the first thing I thought when I saw her for the first time: “Oh my God, she is so beautiful!” And then … “Obviously there has to be something wrong with her to be so pretty, she must have SOME flaw.” Well, 9+ years later I haven’t found the flaw yet. She is beautiful inside and out, and one of the most spiritual persons I know. She inspires me with her honesty, faithfulness, and still, her beauty. I love her and am just as happy for ME as I am for David that she married into the ‘clan.’ There’s Barbara, my most outrageous friend and my biggest cheerleader. She is a relatively new friend, over the last couple of years, but she is such a joy to talk to – she makes me laugh so hard my belly hurts. We have the same wickedness in us – I don’t know if that’s a good thing, but it’s fun. She has slowly learned all of my terrible secrets and yet she seems to love me anyway. Go figure. I love her independence and her energy and her sarcasm. She encourages me and cares about me and I’m lucky to have found her. And of course, there’s dear Sara, who’s supposed to be my other boss (or my ‘girl boss,’ as Logan calls her). She has ended up being the best friend a girl could ask for. We have the luxury of being at work together every day so we can talk more often than most friends. She believes in me! What a rare thing. She sees me as I really am and yet she still wants to be my friend - ??? I don’t get it, but I’m glad. We laugh at stupid things together and get angry at the same things. We know WAY too much about each other’s business, but we also know our secrets are safe. I think God sent Sara to me to soften the blow of coming back to work for Steve. LOL
So overall, for someone who doesn’t “have a lot of close friends,” I seem to be pretty blessed with girlfriends, huh?