Taylor Swift has a catchy song that celebrates the budding life of a 22 year old in all its misery and magic. The bridge croons, "I don't know about you but I'm feeling 22-Everything will be alright if you keep me next to you." (If you are not singing this in your head already, stop what you are doing, find the song and thank me later. For the rest of your days on earth when you hear the number 22 your mind will begin to hum.) I am certainly not 22 years old anymore; however, I do know a thing or two about friendships that celebrate being 22.
For 22 years we have lived life together. If I was cool and had charming hashtags I would refer to these 3 women as my squad, my posse, my tribe. We are as different as night and day; yet, we bring out the stars and the sunshine in each other. Combined there are 22 years of higher education, 4 weddings, 10 children, 6 girls and 4 boys, numerous jobs and moves and houses and cities and states.
We have stood beside each other at a fathers funeral and grieved the loss of one of our brothers. We have walked through grief, dark places of the soul and mind, prayed through miscarriages, postpartum and marriages struggling and ending. We have survived the years of pregnancy and taking care of babies and toddlers and are looking ahead to the years of caring for aging parents. We have celebrated and rejoiced in accomplishments and good news. We have picked each other up when the other stumbled and carried each other when we couldn't walk. We have also made each other angry and hurt each others feelings. We have been fiesty, sassy, sarcastic, and selfish at times. We have been overbearing and unaware. We have been ourselves in all our grandeur and grossness.
The college years have a way of binding people. Those late nights and bad decisions turn to gorilla glue and the bond is forever. 22 years ago we stepped out of the protection of our parents and embarked on adulthood. Every new experience we did hand in hand. We were so smart and stupid at the same time. We found each other and haven't let go. Lifelong friendships that continue to grow and strengthen despite long separations, great distances and the toils of change give life to the soul.
Most years, out of the 365 days we have about 5-6 days that we see each other. One night at Christmas and our annual beach trip that began years ago. We have 4 days to laugh, cry, eat, talk, and relax into the circle of friendship we have been given. We sit on the beach for 12 hours straight, with the our aging bladders being the only thing that gets us out of our sandy recliners. We solve the worlds problems, decide how to deal with our growing children and their countless needs, discuss our great culinary skills and promise that when all the men are gone we will rock the last years out together. We are each others counselor, life coach and financial advisor...all free of charge. And, let's be honest, you get what you pay for.
I catch myself often on these trips looking at these women and become completely overwhelmed with the gift of their unconditional love. I can hide so much of myself from others, but I can't hide from them and unbelievably they love all of me. They are one of the greatest vessels of grace and mercy that God has put in my life. We may have a fraternal sisterhood with matching pins and Greek letters, but they are more importantly my sisters in Christ.
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