Today I was able to spend time with two of my dear friends. I saw my friend Sue McQuoid this morning, along with two of her daughters, Sarah, and Emily. I met Sue in Lamaze class over 21 years ago. Its amazing what can happen in 21 years. We have been through so much together. We have two older girls, grown and out of the house, and we both have a 6 year old! Imagine that. Were older Moms, with just a wee bit of experience, have daughters same age, but then, wowsa, we got our extra smiles, and its been so nice to be on this journey with her. She has always traveled to where ever I have lived. We talk on the phone, text, share so many stories and times together. I am so grateful for Sue. I love her dearly.
My next buddy Cathy Bryant, I have known since my early days of dating Carl. We all went to church together at one point. I messaged her last night around 3 a.m. when I realized she was up and said
"Why are you up?" We began talking. Which led to me showing up at her place tonight around 8 p.m. She made me pumpkin bread, it was delicious, and sent me home with a loaf. I sat at her table, and she looked at me..that's all it took. We laughed, we cried, I swore, laughed some more, shared stories. And she finally said to me after I was talking about the people I simply love and believe good things for
"Julie, you see people the way God sees them, with so much love, with so much promise, with so much potential. You see them the way God does, not what they look like now, what they could be, because you know how much you love them, God loves them more. He looks at each of us with all that big love. That IS how you see people. Its awesome, and not everyone will get it. But I do. I get it."
There are moments in life you just want to "be gotten".
You don't have to explain yourself. You aren't seen as weird. The way you think or love isn't seen as odd, its seen as wonderful. Your heart is seen. You are simply accepted for who you are and how you show up. I love that. I am so happy I have friends like that. I have cultivated these relationships over the many years and I have some awesome women in my life that are there for me. They love my kids and any of their friends they have met, or spouses, or significant others. My friends love wholeheartedly, that's Why they get me. They see my tears, and simply love. They probably have said many a prayer for my family and friends. They show up for parties, weddings, showers, graduation parties, holidays, funerals. You name it, my friends have been there. They speak life over me. They encourage. They hope along side me.
Aleyne Brown took me out to lunch yesterday at Olive Garden. Aleyne is another friend I met in Lamaze class 21 years ago. We talked. We have shared so many many many things over 21 years. I love Aleyne. She's such a special person. I get her, and she gets me.
I showed up at my friend Valerie Farren's house one morning. She hugged me. We talked. Valerie is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She encourages me daily in my spiritual walk. She gets all this weird God stuff we talk about. She is my spiritual mentor. She encourages me to develop this part of my life.
All these friends feed my soul. I only hope I do the same in return.
The cool thing is we don't all agree on everything either. We don't have to. We just have done life together. We have been there for each other, whether its been a phone call, text, message, show up at events, baby dedications, kind of being there.
There's an old movie called "Being There". I love the title. I have the movie at our house. I want to rewatch it. My favorite thing is the title. "Being THERE". When people are there for you, when they are full on 'being" with you, you know it. You have cried with them, talked to them, shared all your deepest memories and feelings with. They have prayed for you. They have attended all the important events of your life, and celebrated all the milestones with you. They make you feel special. When you have people like this in your life, you want to keep them. You know their worth and you do anything to keep them. But you don't have to. They just stay. or even if you don't agree sometimes, you simply move on in love, and you still love.
I appreciate so much the friends and family in my life that have always supported me. I appreciate my husband, who is my best friend. I am grateful for the people who still take my phone calls when you know I am just about to go a special kind of batshits crazy, and they STILL answer the CALL> LOL....now those people...oh my....special place in heaven.
I love you friends.
I love you.
You are wonderful.
All of you.
Julie Erb Robbins
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