Live, Laugh, Love

Quote of the day: “A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same.”-- Elbert Hubbard

I have fabulous friends. It’s hard not to be boastful when it comes to them. They are dynamic, grounded, nurturing, bold, likeable, loud, humorous, sensitive, real, creative, consistent and adventurous…the total package.

Words can’t describe how different I feel after a girlfriend getaway. It’s as if suddenly everything is OK in life. All the idiosyncrasies that annoy you and drive you nuts no longer feel so unbearable. A part of them actually feel a bit enjoyable. Always there’s a change in perspective; a newness; a freshness.

There were many topics of conversations covered, as you can imagine, but before we get there, I needed to physically get there. The getaway always begins with a road trip. Yes! What in life is better than a road trip? Really. Noelle almost always drives. She’s a great road-tripper. We instantly begin to catch up on each other’s news, and everyone else’s, and begin to solve all the problems. We laugh and giggle. We share in our hopes and dreams, and talk about the company we’re all building outside the typical confines of a conference room. This brainstorm session was about logos, and Noelle and her husband playfully sketched a few designs, which are great. And continually, we share in our joy and enthusiasm for the night ahead. We build it up even more. We’re all just desperate to be together and to fully immerse ourselves in the fun of it.

We arrive in Rochester, and at Jenny’s condo, because of the highly talented “Tom Tom.” You know –that GPS system. It was my first experience traveling with a Tom Tom, and ONLY a Tom Tom. We didn’t have any other directions. I was extremely nervous to drive without any sense of direction and to have to rely solely on the voice of the Tom Tom. Talk about trust? Noelle just kept laughing at me for being so mesmerized by the whole thing. I grew to like her and her virtual driving.

The condo is gorgeous—perfect for Jenny. It’s what she had been wishing for over the past few years. Even though living in her fabulous downtown Rochester apartment was great, she had grown out of it. She yearned for more space to express who she had grown into. The condo completely reflects her, and her boyfriend, and it’s just right.

Joy and her little baby girl, Sam, were already there when we arrived. It didn’t take long before the first glass of wine was poured, and I’ll confess, it was me who did it. I couldn’t wait any longer to sit on couches, chit chat and drink wine. Everyone else quickly joined in.

Sam was chill the entire night. As the conversation passed, so was she. Good snuggly time was spent with each of her aunties. I wonder if she could have possibly been influenced by her environment last night, even at this incredibly premature age, by all the conversation. If she was, she would know all about men—men has husbands, men as boyfriends, men as friends and men as lovers. She would know all about whom she should count and who she shouldn’t, and that even ten times could still not be enough to have to count, according to her Aunt Noelle. At least this piece of conversation involved some mathematical concepts.

She would also know all about women in their early thirties…our wants, our needs, our struggles, our powers. Sam would have all the answers, or none of them. She would have learned to not have an intimate relationship in high school, so it doesn’t do so much damage. She would instead wait for college and then enjoy herself responsibly. She would not stay in unhealthy relationships because she was insecure. She would have confidence in herself and her beauty, and enjoy the powers it brings. She would hold her girlfriends closest to her heart, where her family lies, and always rely on them alongside any boyfriends. She would manifest in her thirty-something life hopes and dreams from her twenties.

And most importantly, she would know the importance of getting away with girlfriends. No one gets this more than her mom, Joy. When Sam was about three weeks old, Joy drove with her from Ithaca to Syracuse for the opening celebration of One Village Dance Centre. Some of the other Columbia Girls were coming and staying the night at my house and Joy did not want to miss this opportunity to at least see them for a few hours. Giving birth three weeks prior meant nothing to her.

The weekend wrapped up as it should have—with a yummy, and somewhat greasy, breakfast at a local diner. It was delicious. The four of us enjoyed the multiple refills of coffee, eggs, home fries, toast, pancakes, bacon and French toast. Sam laid her weary head, with a green-knit cap, to the side in her car seat (I think that’s what you call them?) and rested. She may have been awake enough last night to learn all about men and living in her thirties, but today she’s still a baby and needs her beauty sleep. The time will come on her own for her to wake up in her early thirties. If she’s anything like us, she won’t be rushing to grow up.