“You can write about this. Just
make it funny.”
That might take a while, Honey. Today I
cried while I waited for my pizza. Now I'm known as “Crazy Combo
Pizza Lady.” On the up side, they moved me to the front of the
line.
You're right. Some day we will look
back and laugh.
But today we cried.
And we worried, asked unanswerable
questions, and made plans. Tonight, and for as long as it takes, we
will hope, and smile, and trust, and believe, and support, and pray.
And love.
In other words, just another day with
the girls.
***
I had the amazingly good fortune to
spend time this weekend with some of my best friends – one group of
girls I've known since grade school and the others I went to college
with.
How was I lucky enough to become
friends with so many funny, smart, caring, supportive, level-headed,
take-charge, just plain bossy, stubborn, loud, brave women?
How could people with such different backgrounds, interests,
experiences and personalities be so similar?
They knew me at different times and
they knew different versions of me. They've seen me at my best, and
helped me through my not-so-best. Their influence, nurturing and
encouragement made me who I am.
In other words, now you know who to
blame.
***
These are the type of friends you can
go years without seeing, and just pick right up again like you were
never apart. The friends you reminisce with and make new memories
with. These are the memories you hold on to, the times you remember,
and the friends you rely on when life knocks the breath right out of
you.
These are the friends you promise to
call more often and visit again soon. These are the ones who
understand when time slips away. And they're the ones who are still
glad to see you when the stars finally align. These are the
friendships that remind you to cherish the time you spend with the
people you love.
In other words, they are much better
friends than I deserve.
***
These are not the type of girls who sit
around like bumps on a log. These are not the type of girls who watch
everyone else dance and stay glued to their seats. These are not the
type of girls who wouldn't know fun if it bit them in the ass.
These are the girls who bite fun
in the ass. They lead the conga line. They don't sit until
they're ready to drop.
These are the girls who whisper in your
ear “if you want to fight her, I'm right behind you,” when
someone needs an attitude adjustment. No matter what the odds are, or
what you're up against. Together you're invincible.
These are the friends who know where
the bodies are buried. The friends who know the stories. The stories
our children could use as leverage to get out of doing chores for the
rest of their lives.
In other words, the friends you want to
keep close.
And hug even closer.
***
“I need a girls' day.”
I started to worry as soon as I got the
text.
She wanted to talk to all of us at the
same time.
I thought of several possible reasons:
1. Someone's pregnant (a standing
non-joke as we approach middle age).
2. Someone's ambushing us for a
Tupperware party.
3. Someone has cancer.
So I ordered the complete burp-to-seal
baby food storage line in both pink and blue, because you just never
know what life is going to throw at you.
In other words, you do whatever you can
to keep it funny.
Even when you don't feel like laughing.
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