It was a bunch of wild personalities colliding over the course of our young lives. Through our families, sports, classes – something undoubtedly pulled us all together and by high school, this crazy group of nine girls found each other.
We’d band together at sleepovers, and bond over boys. We’d spend hours just driving around and laughing nearly ever weekend as teenagers, and through college we’d roadtrip to see one another when we could. It’s been an adventurous and beautiful ride, growing up together.
As we got older and nine silly teens bloomed into independent young women, our relationships with one another would change – strengthening and softening over the years as we moved onto different parts of our lives.
But lately, we’ve been brought together more often – just not in the way we’d hoped. This last heavy week, especially. Another set of unpleasant reasons, in what feels like a never-ending string of unpleasant reasons, that brought us back home and to each other.
Collectively in the last two years or so, we’ve been through some of the worst experiences to weigh down hearts as young as ours. We’ve lost so much – parents, marriages, some things that are too painful to share, and nearly one of our own. Our group chat that should delight in nostalgia and funny pictures has been a relentless reminder of the hardships we’ve faced. And there have been some truly raw and painful moments.
It’s insane the intensity and frequency with which bad things keep happening, and I don’t know why. These are good people, with big personalities and even bigger hearts behind them. And the strength and grace with which I’ve watched us confront some of the worst times of our lives is a testament to that. This is a group of some very tough women.
And I think some of that strength comes from knowing we have each other to lean on.
It’s unique, what we have. That the friends we still turn to now are the ones we’ve turned to all along. That the people we’re closest to has changed so little as we’ve changed ourselves. It’s what reminds me how lucky we are to have the friendships we do. I know that for myself, those friendships have been a tremendous comfort since losing dad. These women have walked through fire with me, opened their hearts more than they have already and then brought joy back into my life. I’m forever thankful for that, and this sisterhood of sorts.
And with that in mind, in the wake of more things we shouldn’t have to rise above, but will –
I am so proud to stand beside you then, now and always.
A REKD GIRL 