You Need Other People

This weekend I went to Albuquerque for a weekend reunion with a group of my best friends. I hadn’t seen these girls since graduation in May, so it was a much needed girls weekend. The entire time I was there I was filled with happiness and joy from being in the presence of my best friends again.

I saw this quote on my Pinterest last night that I had pinned several weeks ago and instantly the writing wheels in my head started spinning.

You will need other people.

I need other people. I need my best friends.

As much as I enjoy my alone time. As much as I think I am so introverted and quiet. As independent as I think I am. I need other people.

My best friends have made several appearances throughout my blog posts. From sorority events to trips to Vegas, they have been an ever present group in my life for almost 5 years now. Since we are all entering new stages of our friendship because we all won’t be living in the same town anymore, our friendship will look differently. But that quote has made me reflect on why they are in my life and why I know they will continue to be.

You need people in your life who you trust.

Who know you and your ways and your characteristics.

Who you can have deep belly laughs with.

…understand your fears and questions about the future.

….you can excitedly plan and dream about the future with.

…can tell you that those shoes really aren’t that cute.

…can see you without your makeup and messy hair and still love you.

…can keep you accountable with your “healthy eating.”

…can drag you to the gym and give you a kick butt workout.

…but will indulge on the weekends with you on fatty foods and sugary drinks.

…will tell you that that guy is a jerk and doesn’t deserve you.

…you can show your most embarrassing dance moves to and they still think you’re cool.

…sing “Fancy” in the car together without anyone judging one others singing/rapping voices.

…will tell you that what you said was rude.

…you can share your happiest moments with or you not-so-happy ones.

…you can plan your next trips to see each other and know that no one will find an excuse to back out.

…you can talk about embarrassing things with and it’s not awkward.

…share frustrations with about work or school or your uncooperative hair.

…will yell at you while you’re driving but you know they’re just looking out for you.

…you can be “hangry”  (hungry+angry) with and they’ll know your shortness isn’t intentional.

…you can look at each other and think “wow. my friends are beautiful” because you truly believe that.

…keep you inspired to be a better person than you were yesterday.

…will call 911 if you don’t make it out of the sketchy Wal-Mart in 10 minutes.

…who won’t talk mad crap about you to someone else.

As badly as I wished I was just going home yesterday afternoon to do homework, and I would see them at the sorority house for lunch today it’ll never be that way again.

As we get older and our lives start changing and becoming more separate, our friendship will change along the way. But I know it will be there. It will be there in 8 years when we celebrate our year of turning 30. Or when we’re at a baby shower for the first baby in our group. Or as we watch each other get married. Or when one of us gets the new job she had been wanting. Because we are Amigas por vida! (friends for life)

I watch how my Mom has her certain close friends in her life and how important they are to her. Of course she has my Dad and my sister and I, but she needs other people as well. She needs her friend who she can call and talk about decorating with and discuss the decisions their children are making.

We need other people in our lives. People who know us. People who make us better people and you know will be there for you no matter the situation you face. And you have to be that person for other people as well. It’s not just a one way street.

Personally, I know that my friends sharpen me and that I sharpen my friends as this verse from the bible says: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17. Now if my friends were leading me down the wrong path or causing me to “stumble” I probably wouldn’t be writing this post, but that’s not the case.

Sometimes I would like to apologize for being so reflective and dramatic about things like this, but I’m not. Because this is what I think and this is how I feel and someday I’ll look back on this post and will be flooded with memories and joy. And I’ll be able to see how true things played out or how differently they did.