Girlfriends

Today I’m participating in Oklahoma Women Bloggers writing challenge.  Today’s challenge is “For the love of girlfriends”.  My girlfriends have been on my mind this week so this writing prompt was the perfect push I needed to put pen to paper.

This past weekend I was able to spend some quality time with my girlfriends.  I love hanging with my girls but this weekend reminded me why girlfriends that you can trust are so important.  Women need to talk, to vent, to laugh and sometimes to cry.  We all love our husbands and should keep the lines of communication open in our marriages but there are times when you just need another woman to talk to.  Men and women can be so different and we don’t always see eye to eye.  We need our girlfriends to listen to us and respond with a nod of the head and confirmation that they completely understand where you are coming from.  Being able to open up to another woman and find out that your feelings and secrets aren’t as foreign as you thought they were is extremely cathartic.  Knowing you aren’t alone on the roller coaster that is marriage and motherhood is eye-opening and refreshing.

But here’s the thing about girlfriends.  They can be difficult to find.  Just because we’re all in this sisterhood together doesn’t mean we’re all meant to be best buds.  I’m a member of several organizations (dominated by women) and it has taken me several years to find close friends that I feel completely comfortable with.  My closest friends may be surprised to know this but I’m extremely introverted in groups where I’m not certain of the personalities.  I put on my smile mask, I’m reserved and keep many of my opinions to myself.  Being too open with a group of women I’m not completely comfortable with can become awkward and nobody wants that especially if we feel we are being evaluated and judged.

A dear friend of mine once compared a close group of friends as a circle of trust.  When you find women you can trust, the friendships can be so rewarding.  But close friendships take a long time to develop and you can’t force it.  Sort of like dating, when you hit it off right from the start you just know it’s right but when it feels forced and strained you know it’s not going to work out.

So here’s a shout out to my girlfriends.  You know who you are.  I’m so thankful to have women in my life that get me and love me for who I am.