On December 2nd I will turn 30 years old. In honor of this momentous occasion, I am blogging daily in November a lesson I have learned in my twenties. Today's lesson : Friends Are Family.
These are some of my nearest & dearest. Can't imagine life without them...
Last night I actually started crying when I thought about celebrating my 30th birthday without all of my closest friends. I was thinking about what I wanted to do for my birthday party and realized that many (certainly not all) of my close friends live somewhere else. And then the tears flowed.
I am sentimental about random things. I did in fact take a photo of the doorknob in my house in Russia. Strange, I know. My 30th birthday isn't that odd of an event though. And, if you knew my friends you would know why I wish I could be with all of them on my birthday. They are truly incredible.
My friends love me well. A few reasons why I love them back:
- I have roamed the streets of various countries and they are fabulous co-adventurers. In fact, Kristin & I met in Paris.
- They have celebrated the birth of my kids & sat by my side when I had a miscarriage. Ashley driving all the way from Portland.
- We have watched each other fall in love. Sometimes ending in happy marriages and for others broken hearts.
- Several of them have graciously followed me as I clumsily learned how to lead.
- They have helped me pack/move more times than I can count!
- I can call them at 1 am and they will call me back. Believe me, I have done this a few times.
- Some of the most constructive criticism I have received has been from my closest friends. Thankful they believe in me enough to be honest.
- Several have dyed my hair for me...sometimes a win & sometimes a fail...but, I won't name any names.
- I go from silly to feisty in 2 seconds. They put up with it.
- They patiently listen to me as I lecture them about the importance of skin care and daily SPF use.
- They disciple me in the ways they obey God no matter what He says.
- I have seen them walk through some significant valleys - depression, a few who have chronic illness, the death of a mom, disappointment when they put it all on the line and risked big...and they walked through it with honesty, hope and loving God more in the end.
I could go on & on... My friends are like family. My friend Sarah has been a bestie since 1st grade and others as recent as a few years ago... I have learned not to take them for granted. I have learned that friends like these don't come around all the time. Now I make time for phone calls to catch up. A depth of relationship that multiplies with each year we know each other. My gratidute abounds.
Ah... I SO relate to having your closest friends not near you- mine have slowly been spread out across the country over the past couple years. The friendships may look different now when it comes to the day to day, but they still have the same heartbeat... and for that I'm glad! This is a fantastic idea for November- can't wait to hear the rest of your lessons this month! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd... where in Russia did you live? I've spent some of my favorite moments there! It's been a few years since I've been back and I miss it like crazy!
Denise, hi! I lived in Irkutsk. Where have you been there? I saw that you are in San Diego...I just moved from there a little over a month ago. We just missed each other.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth