I want to take a moment to celebrate the absolute beauty that is friendship.

My absolute favorite blogger recently wrote a confession about not having close friendships. I read that and was so mystified because she’s not only incredibly funny, but also kind and insightful and has a way with her writing that draws you in and wraps you up like you’re old friends. Her little confession post about this got me thinking about my friendships and what I would write about them.

My closest friends are absolute bangers. I guess reading Linda’s take on her lack of friendships, combined with some other recent events have left me closely examining how very special it is to have a “tribe” or “circle.” I don’t feel like I will ever be able to sufficiently write about our friendship because how do you write about a phenomenon? Phenomenons aren’t words for reading, but rather experiences for feeling.

What I will write is this:

I’m so very thankful for the amazing women (and few dudes) that comprise my circle.

They’re smart. Conversations can easily dance from current events to salacious jokes, with spins of dreams, hopes, fears, and beliefs all tangled in the middle. I’m always challenged in our conversations, and not for the sake of a challenge, but because their perspectives truly do push me to examine why I feel the way I do about any given topic. I always look so forward to time spent together and the deep dives and hot takes.

They’re funny. I’m pretty sure if anyone were to use our text thread as an anthropologic study, they would come to the conclusion that we are all severely unhinged. I have a handful of friends who are natural story tellers, using humorous anecdotes along the journey, leaving me in stitches and craving more. One of my absolute best friends, while also a gifted story teller, is the queen of “hitting the quiet zinger.” It’s hard to describe, but she is cunningly observant and can find the perfect moment to very quietly, but effectively throw out a zinger that just kills. And, much like my TV heroes Dorothy and Blanche, my own golden girls can deliver lines with enough sass and sarcasm to leave me crying from laughing. It’s always the best medicine.

They’re loyal. I think some people confuse loyalty with blind submission. That’s not loyalty; that’s a cult. I feel like we are all at the age that we’re in it together for the long haul. We all have habits that range from quirky to annoying AF, but we love each other and value one another. We don’t dip out on each other. Those little things don’t really matter the older we get. I think that’s one of the most positive things about aging; you gain enough perspective and personal insight to know that little things are just that. They’re small and inconsequential. I know that we can all disagree, but still love and respect each other. It’s a unique quality in these days of “I’m right, you’re wrong, get off my bus.”

And for my friends who will read this…

Thank you so much…

Even though I love words, I feel like they fail me sometimes. I hope each of you know how very dear and precious you are, not just to me, but for anyone who’s had the privilege of knowing you. Love you BIG.