A couple of days ago a very dear friend, one I’ve known since high school, texted saying she was going to be driving home to SC from up north, wanted to see me and was wondering if she could come stay for the night, showing up the next afternoon. Without hesitation, I texted back, ‘YES!’ Now we live in kind of an out of the way place, so coming to see me was actually probably adding two hours to her trip both coming and then continuing on home. So I was even more thrilled that she’d do that.
When she showed up, we threw our arms around each other and realized we had not seen each other in 18 years. Even as I type that it seems wrong. Like how could it have been that long? Of course we’ve talked and texted and interacted on social media, but how could it be that we hadn’t laid eyes on one another for 18 years? But here’s the thing. With her, that doesn’t matter even slightly. She came in, we poured a cocktail and just took up where we left off. We talked, we laughed, we cried and it was like no time had gone by at all. The Hubby came home, made dinner, and we all just continued to talk. The next morning, she looked at me and said, ‘Yea, I’m staying another night.’ Yay!
As we enjoyed the next day, we laughed because she and I both know that that immediate ‘YES!’ I put out there when she asked if she could come by would NOT have happened for everyone. My house wasn’t exactly tidy, there was basically no food in the fridge (thank you Hubby for putting together an amazing dinner with what you could find…) and I barely had time to throw sheets on the guest bed. But with her, I knew absolutely none of that would matter.
I texted her later the night she left…making sure she got home but also to tell her my dog missed her LOL…and she texted back that she was so psyched she had stopped by because it was just so relaxing and fun. And I realized that I too needed those two days more than I could have ever imagined. This friend reminded me that it’s okay to be me. That it’s okay to speak my mind. It’s okay to tell someone you aren’t going to talk about something. It’s okay to just cry over nothing. It’s okay to give yourself a break. It’s okay to agree to disagree. It’s okay to just walk away for awhile. And…that I’m good enough just the way I am.
I don’t need to tell anyone that this year has been a bitch. And I’ve had a little extra stress thrown in there. But until I spent these two days with her, I didn’t even realize that I was shrinking in to myself. I was beginning to hide. I was becoming quiet (if you can believe that about me….). I was backing away from what I believe. I was losing confidence in me. In short, seeing her reminded me of who I really am. And that as they say is a beautiful thing.
Thank you friend.
Live and Learn with love.