Friendship

A few days ago I read a post from a young woman who used to be my student and is now a missionary in Dominican Republic (I'm so proud of her, btw!!!) that really made me think about the value of friendship.  She said:

"Sometimes girls will say “I only hang out with guys, I hate girls. Girls are too much drama.” I've been guilty of this and we need to knock it off. Girl friendships are such a gift. They can be hard. When you choose to live an authentic life with a group of women, it can be ROUGH and difficult, but it is so worth it." 

There is so much transparency in these words! I think it because of that transparency that I feel identified very deeply with her comments.  Even though there is a huge age difference, as well as a difference on our stages of life between my former student and I, I can't help but to totally agree with her statement.  

I know, the whole "drama" thing is totally true.  I'm guilty of that myself!  Hanging out with guys is so much easier and often more fun too...I'm sorry to say it, but it is sort of true.  Men have a different perspective in life.  They tend to look at things in a different way than women do.  OK, I'm generalizing here, I know.  So let me just talk about my limited experience with the guys in my life.  They do see things from a different point of view than me.  And, since I'm surrounded by 3 guys, I'm always made fun of and teased because I'm the odd ball in the group:  "OK, let's watch Pride and Prejudice for the 13,000 time so Mom can be happy..." These type of comments flow about in our house on a daily basis.  And I'm OK with that.  It makes me feel special...in a twisted kind of way...  However, it would be thrilling for me to find a few friends who are girls, to watch and keenly appreciate Pride and Prejudice at a whole other level that only a group of girls could achieve....am I right?

I'm not saying that all women love Jane Austen-inspired movies and that women don't enjoy a good-action-packed-sci-fi-thriller with lots of shooting and special effects.  I might be the biggest fan of the classic The Matrix you've ever met.  All I'm saying is that watching the Matrix with a bunch of girls is a different experience than watching it with a bunch of boys.  

And I think that's my point in all this rambling and babbling:  women need the gift of female friendship to help us realize we are not alone in this so-called-life.  

Sharing with female friends is something else.  It's a different experience.  It's such a gift.  I have the privilege and the honor to have a few, Divinely-appointed female friends that have been my life-line throughout my times of trial and hardship.  They have also been the spark and bubbles in my times of joy.  I have been blessed with soul-sisters who have helped made my walk bearable and my burden lighter.  Without them, I am not sure where I'd be.  God has known exactly whom to bring into my life to be the iron that sharpens my iron so I could continue on...and many of those sharpening my iron have been women, because it could not have been any other way.

"When you choose to live an authentic life with a group of women, it can be ROUGH and difficult, but it is so worth it."  My former student is so right!  Living an authentic life is rough enough...adding a bunch of women in the mix makes it even rougher...but so worth it!

I pray that all the women reading this disjointed post today find some truth in it, which may speak to them.  I pray that we all find female friends that help make the rough patches smooth again.  I pray that we can all live authentic lives of faith.  And I pray that the Lord brings along soul-sisters to walk that path so we realize we are not alone.