Choose Carefully

This weekend was golden.

Filled to the brim with food and laughter and talk and more food and most of all, friendship.

Sitting shoulder to shoulder with my girlfriends, our feet tucked beneath us, our children’s laughter weaving between our own, and diving into the most delicious of chocolate cakes, I noted how different we are.

The way we parent and joke and cook, the way we feel about pets and play doh and high heels, all vary and differ and sometimes butt up against each other.

I love pointing these differences out to my girls, I do. Because there’s nothing to hide there. We talk about differences because they’re important, necessary, and so very (beautifully) There.

And because I know that the friendships that they will seek out will shift and change through the years.

We can’t help but be drawn to the girl (Or the guy!) signed up for the same sport, playing the same instrument, going to the same party, wearing the same shade of nail polish.

We’re wired to look for Same.

But we’re also excited (Thrilled! Inspired by!) Differences.

Some of my best laughs, greatest adventures, biggest learnings, ugliest cries, and strongest loves were bred in differences.

What I want for myself, for my girls, is to seek out the people who stretch us, make us think, make us question what we’re so very sure we know.

I don’t have sharpie lined guides that explain who will be friendable and who won’t be.

What I do know is this –

We so very easily become like those around us and their sports and their nails and their stance on chocolate cake isn’t what matters.

What makes someone a Keeper, someone you want to be around, someone you want to be like, is the way they make you feel.

Strong. Happy. Inspired. Belly aching from laughter.

All good.

And the flip side of this is, of course, what makes you a Keeper Friend is how you make others feel.

Either way, choose carefully.
About the Writer
Galit Breen is a Minnesota author. On any given day she can be found juggling three kids, one husband, one puggle, and her laptop. Galit blogs at These Little Waves and tweets at @GalitBreen.

 
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