Tiny Flecks of Color

The trek towards Valentine's Day continues - I am post about people who are the flecks of color in my life and encourage you to think about similar people in your lives. Comments are welcome - share the memories of special people in your life!

“Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose.” -Tennessee Williams

Oh you've got to have friiiiiieeeeeends! la la la la la... take it away Bette!

Maybe it was that after a fabulous night with some great friends (and good food, if I do say so myself) I woke up feeling thankful. Maybe it was the text from a dear friend saying, "Having a bad day today, need a pick me up from a best friend" and being honored that I was the one who received that text. Maybe its the constant reminders in my every day of the "family I have chosen for myself". Maybe it was lunch with a dear friend that led to the planning of a retreat for many dear friends to come together and recoup.


But that isn’t the point. THE POINT is… today what’s welling up in my heart are my friends. You’ve got to have friends. I am so blessed to have some amazing people in my life. Seriously. People who share with me their most intimate moments, their funniest conversations, and their heartbreaks. Friends come up with the craziest of adventures and the right words to say at the right times.

I was clearing out my photo memory cards and came across these photos from November:

Mr. Bean and his BFF Brian

Brian may or may not be a little creepy...



But a whole lot of fun.

When I was in my last semester of undergrad at Monmouth College, I studied abroad in Florence, Italy and London, England. It was the best semester of my life. It was also the semester when I got to know this crazy guy that my now husband - then boyfriend - called a best friend. Brian studied abroad on the same trip. Mr. Bean simultaneously lost his best friend and his girlfriend for 5 months. Over the course of the time spent over seas, I really came to understand why this guy was my Man's BFF. We took a trip to Napoli - and he didn't pack anything except the clothes on his back. For 5 days. His hair was a perpetual mess. He learned songs on the guitar to play at open mic nights at hookah bar. He made friends with literally everyone. He helped me get through missing Chris, rolled his own cigarettes, drank cheap Italian beer, drank great Italian wine, and shared in some of my most fond memories.

Friends take ridiculously long progressions of photos on their Mac just because they like being together (and looking at themselves).

Friends are casually beautiful.

We work together to make up for the things we individually lack.

We're all a little weird.

And we're way too cool.

These two ladies are essential parts of my life. We have had crazy times, crazy laughs, crazy cries, crazy fights, crazy, crazy, crazy. It's hard to pinpoint an individual time to tell you about... the times we all banned together to pull all nighters in college and get our work done. The break ups with boyfriends that left our hearts bruised. The times we were sick and made home remedies to make each other feel better. The times when the world was crashing down around us and we stood together to be strong.



“How rare it is to find a friend who encourages the best in you and isn’t afraid to name the worst.” –Gail Straub

I got this in my daily inspiration from a good friend and mentor yesterday... and it made me think. I probably am not going to tell you what you want to hear all the time... I probably want what is best for you... I probably love you more than you know... and can see all the good things in you. I probably don't like things you do because I know that you are better...or deserve better... or I know that you are just being dumb. I will try to be tactful, but honest ... loving, but strong... I want to see what you can do...what you were meant to do...and yes, I do believe that not only are you a gift from God, but that you were given gifts from God. I want to see you use them... I want to see you live out your purpose... I believe when I look into your eyes that there is someone inside who is beautiful, and capable, and loving, and talented, and significant, and worthwhile.

I will love you dearly... but that will not stop me from standing up when things are not right...and will not stop me from loving you so much that I would rather NOT support the decisions you make, or the actions you do. I love you, and I will always love you, but I might not like everything you do. And I don't have to. But I suppose the greatest thing about friendship -my friendship, our friendship... is that even if I don't believe in what you are doing...I will always stand right by your side, holding your hand, and opening my arms. I love you for you...for the beautiful beating heart in your chest, the firelight behind your eyes, and the swirling tornado of ideas and thoughts in your brain. It doesn't matter what you do, how much you make, what awards you win, or what you have.... I love you for exactly what you are... and there will always be two loving arms here to welcome you in... to hold you and love you... and to tell you that you are lucky to have a friend who will tell you when you're doing something I don't approve of... but also, these two arms are there to hold you and lift you to the place you deserve to be.

why?