The Epitome of Friendship

Good Monday evening, everyone.  I apologize for my tardiness on this post, I was one busy girl this weekend and my Sunday routine was thrown for a loop as I spent the afternoon in a car back from a weekend voyage.

I headed to good old Altoona, PA this weekend to visit with one of my best friends in the entire world and try on bridesmaid's dresses for her wedding!  While Altoona is.... different... I really enjoyed the time I spent with Jenna and her family this weekend.  They are truly some of the sweetest people I have ever known.  

College party, 2007.

Before making the plans to rendezvous halfway across the state, Jenna and I realized that we had not seen each other for roughly three years.  Yet, we remained friends through all sorts of obstacles; college, job changes, moves, crazy boyfriends, family illness and, of course, a quarter life crisis or two.  Yet, early Saturday morning after 2.5 hours of driving, many wrong turns, and plenty of dead zones for my satellite radio; Jenna and I raced towards each other at the end of her parent's driveway as she yelled "this is the day the Lord has made!"


It was at that moment that I realized, this is the epitome of friendship.

After years and years of not seeing Jenna, we spent the day together laughing at old times, remembering nick names that we had for everyone we've ever met before, and reminiscing about our trip to the beach with our favorite gays in 2008.  Shout out to Tyler and Tommy.

It's probable that everyone has recently been let down by someone that they believed was a great friend at some point.  Ultimately, we all get confused every now and then.  In high school, everyone is your "best friend."  The term is used loosely.  As we grow up, though, we realize that having the same 4th period AP lit class with someone doesn't make you best friends.  Best friends are not made by running at the same pace as someone else in 10th grade gym class.  Best friends aren't made by who your locker is next to, who your favorite teacher is, or what section of the school district you reside in.  

In high school, we may think we have "best friends" but what we actually have are commonalities. You grow up, mature, and grow apart from your 18-year-old version of what a "best friend" is.

However, there are always exceptions.  

Chicago, 2004!

In kindergarden at All Saints, I met Sara K. Needless to say, Mrs. Ranallo may not have appreciated all of the life decisions that we made after the second grade.   My earliest memory with Sara is getting stuck in a hula skirt in her living room and needing her mom to PHYSICALLY cut me out of the damn grass skirt.  That's probably when I started dieting.  And since then, we have been friends.  Not "friends."  Real friends.  No bullshit, no gossip, no drama.  We've laughed, we've cried, we've drank way too much, we've taken naps on curbs, shared inappropriate stories, we've spent more days laying in the sun and reading magazines than most Floridians, hands down. Friends since the age of 5?  That's something.  That's best friends.  Some things never change.  See you in a few weeks, Sara. Love you!

In this friendship blog shout out session, I must make note of my friends from college that I have managed to keep in contact with through transfers, across state boundaries and through everything that college has to offer.  Andrea, Amanda, and Rachel; I love the three of you more than life.  You guys have seen me at my best, and my worst.  Amanda, at the very moment that I met you, someone was throwing up in my kitchen sink.  Andrea, you hated me, and threw my rain boots in the street, but we bounced back.  The "Celebrate life" cake really built a firm foundation for our friendship.  Rachel, you watched me cry for DAYS when my boyfriend fled the country.  PS, he was the first but he was NOT the last.  You three are fan-fucking-tastic, and I adore all of you and I value your continuing friendship more than I could ever explain.  Andrea and Amanda, come to Pittsburgh right now.  Rachel, I'm ready for another wine sesh when you are. love love love love you ladies.

Let's use this week to be a great friend.  To get in contact with those that mean the most to you.  To check in with those that hold a special place in your heart that live across state lines.  To remember what real friendship stands for.  To take a trip down memory lane, and to pave the path of friendship for years and years to come.

Here's to understanding the value of true friendship, 

Xoxo