I almost called this post "the beautiful letdown," but I didn't...because that would imply that coming home is a letdown from the trip. It's not. I am SO glad to be home; I love Iowa- the space, the sky, the greens and blues and the sunshine...our rural traditions; I love being able to see Dan again; so, it's not a letdown. But, there is an adjustment.
Adjusting back to "real life," to the work schedule, to everyone who didn't just see and experience everything that I did is a process. And for me, part of that process is reflecting back on everything that I saw, felt and did. So, get prepared for some reflective blogs...as well as the hilarity of our NYC trip.
I had such a wonderful time with my good friends from grade school - Lisa and Jena. We've been classmates since kindergarten; my friendship with Jena really started taking root in 2nd grade and with Lisa in 4th grade. Why do I know this? (Because I'm me)...and that's when I invited each of them to my slumber parties. For me, that was when a person made it into my group - when they passed my friendship test to get an invite to the slumber party. From 4th grade on, our group of friends became the "Regular 6" - the group to be friends with in our class.
We were the smart ones, the jocks, the involved ones, the officers of our class, NHS, FFA, student council...and people wanted to be in the group. People resented us (at times) that they weren't; and after high school, people still felt that we did "Regular 6" things.
What is weird to me is that a) I never felt like I was in the popular crowd; it's not like the "Regular 6" were at all the cool parties ('cause we weren't - in fact, I think only one of us ever actually ended up at a real "party" in high school - and that was the one that got busted!); it's not like a "Regular 6" was the student council president, senior class president or even Homecoming Queen (although, we did have 2 on court - but, seriously, not one of us was keeping track of this stuff as a "regular 6" clique type of thing). In fact, in high school and even junior high, we were friends, even better friends with girls outside of the 6.
...but there's something about us that keeps us together...that binds us.
I don't know what it is; it's not a pair of magical pants that keep us bound to each other. I don't know what it was - the Dirty Dancing dance sessions, the years of shared laughter, the time we spent together in Sunday school/youth group/confirmation, the time on the sports fields or sporting FFA jackets...and even in those moments, we weren't always together. But The 6 are tight. We know each other - even after months of separation we pick up where we left off and we make new memories. We are an amazing friendship group. Throughout the years, our friendships with each other ebb and flow. Sometimes I'm closer to Jina or Jena or Lisa or Lindsay or Allisha understands what I'm going through better...individually, we ebb and flow. But as a group, we are tight. As a group, we are strong. As a group, we survive and support each other.
It really is amazing to me. How blessed I am to have my group! I am so thankful for God's amazing provision of friendship to me through this group of women. Who knew twenty years ago that we would last like this? This group who knows me, accepts me, challenges me and loves me faithfully and loyally. It is such a gift from God. Oh, I hope that whenever, if ever, I have a daughter (or more) that she is blessed with such a group from an early age.
Oh, how I love them! How I long for the next time that we are together! How I miss them when I touchdown to my real life. ...and then I get back into my life and forget to call or write; until the next time when we pick right back up.
Ah, God is so good to us.
