Female Friendships

As a 25-year-old single girl, I’ve come to lean on and appreciate the power of friendship, especially female friendship, more than ever before. It’s a connection and love unlike any other, yet I feel it isn’t celebrated or acknowledged enough. They are the ones (the good ones) who are there with you through it all. They watch you stumble, fall, and make many stupid choices, while supporting you and making you feel loved. They watch you fuck up over and over again, but help you laugh about it later. They hype you up when you need it most, turning tears into belly laughter. They awaken your soul, helping you grow and reflect on the person you are and push you closer to the person you want to be. But they always accept you for where you are at, and that is the most beautiful thing of all. They make you feel seen and heard. They sit with you through the pain, allowing you to rant about the same thing every single day for weeks, months, maybe even years – as long as it takes for you to heal. They hold you while you cry, knowing that words may not help but a good hug and your favorite treat is the cure. They know when to sit in the silence but also when to fill it. They pick up the phone when you need it most, whether that’s to catch up or just to listen. They take candid photos of you, capturing your most genuine smile and forehead wrinkles. They support you ordering Wingstop because they know you had a long week. They say yes to things they normally wouldn’t do because they know it’ll make you happy. They stay up all night with you, giggling about the past and day dreaming about the future as the sun comes up. They take off your makeup and put up your hair as you lay on the bathroom floor, making you feel beautiful even in your darkest moments. They hold you accountable and call you out because they know you better than you think they do. They dance in the stands with you as you scream the lyrics at a concert. They go pee with you, even when they don’t need to. They run their hands through your hair as you break down. They are our greatest secret keepers. And most importantly, they celebrate your victories. They are there for the big and small moments, picking up the pieces with you or shrieking while springing up, down, and into your arms as you tell them exciting news. They heal parts of you that you didn’t know needed healing.

There’s no better feeling than sitting on the patio, with a glass of crisp wine talking about anything and everything under the sun. No topics are off limits, and yet we seem to cover them all. As the glasses get filled, and the heat of the day dies down, marbling the sky with an array of vibrant blush tones, our souls become satisfied and fulfilled, sharing our universal yet unique experiences. Even strangers can make you feel seen. As any girl knows the empowering and reviving feeling of walking into a bar bathroom and making at least two new friends, exchanging kinds words and celebrating each others beauty while screaming in support through the stall doors “fuck him” to a stranger who cries about that dumb boy who broke her heart. We band together, whether we know each other or not and that is beautiful.

I am proud to take parts and pieces from the women who have shaped me and been in my life. To be soft, kind, supportive, empowering, and so much more is a gift that I’ve taken from all the women before me. I truly don’t know what I would do without the women in my life, old and new. So, here’s to friendship and here’s to the ladies that uplift me and get me through this crazy life. Thank you for choosing to show up and be there.