Honest friends are the doorways to our souls, and loving friends are the grasses that soften the world. It is no mistake that the German root of the word friendship means “places of high safety.”
Mark Nepo
Last night, after yoga, a client and I were talking about our weekend plans. One conversation led to another, as often happens when women gather. Soon we were discussing the importance of friendships when life throws you a nasty curveball. We were sharing how our friends are the ones that help us get through the most difficult times in our lives.
This weekend is my annual Girlfriends Weekend. When everyone shows up, there are 13 of us who gather. Our ages range from 40-something to 70-something. We’ve been gathering for over 20 years now.
This group of women are my soul sisters. I have placed my burdens at their feet more than once, and they have shared wisdom, advice, and encouragement with me at those times. They have made me laugh in the face of my deepest fears. They have reminded me more than once that “this too, shall pass.” I don’t know what I would have done during these dark times in my life, had I not had a group of women who loved me so unconditionally.
I wish for you, the reader, to be blessed with the kind of friendships that I have been blessed with. This is the spirit of living in JOY!