I spent yesterday with two different girlfriends. I came home happy and content and had a great night’s sleep because of them.
I have a small group of girlfriends who would drop everything and be with me if I asked them. They are the friends you call in the middle of the night and the friends you can share anything with.
We have been through marriages, divorces, miscarriages, births, cancer, and death. We hold each up in hard times, give shelter to each other when we need it, and love each other no matter what. We worry about each other, cry with each other and laugh with each other. They are family, friends, and sisters to me, and I don’t know what I would do without them.
I read recently that women with girlfriends live longer and that when we spend time with our female friends, we release oxytocin into our systems and reduce our stress. I don’t remember the article name or where I read it so it could be completely false, but I believe it. I know that I had been having a horrible week and my time with my girlfriends yesterday lifted me up, gave me energy today (even though I only got 6 hours of sleep) and in general just made me feel a whole lot better.
I know that the introvert in me often feels like I want to become a hermit and live alone forever, but then days like yesterday happen and I realize something. I realize that I need to have these uplifting women in my life. I don’t make friends that easily so these girls and I have been going strong for 20 years or more, and they are some of the most important people in my life. I love their kids like family, and I love to be auntie Mel. They are a part of my life in ways that make me whole.
I moved away from the area where I grew up for a couple of years. I developed new friendships in my new city, and I think given time, there will be a couple of those that will grow into this ride or die type of friendship, but when it really came down to it, I had to come home to be near my people. I love where I live in part because of the people that are near me. And I have come to realize that being a friend is one of the most important things I can do with my life.
So, part of my discovery this year is to build new friendships and to deepen my current ones. I can’t wait to see what wonders they bring into my life.
I hope that all of you have important friends in your life. If you don’t, reach out. You can be one of my new friends. Let’s get out into the world, even if we are introverts, and be a friend to another woman. Time to lift each other up and spread the love.
🙂