who your friends are?
I've always thought that the curse of being rich (as in really wealthy and powerful) is not knowing if your friends love you for you or your money.
The curse of being in a intense multilevel marketing business is you have to try to sell everyone and constantly generate more leads, much like telemarketing. hmmm...
I guess I've been thinking about friendships more lately because I have so many incredible friends in Charlotte and now, after 13 years, I'm leaving.
The move to St. Louis is it's own story (more on that later), but the people I've come to know in Charlotte... they've done what all great friends do - they changed who I am, helped mold who I've become.
13 years ago I couldn't have imagined the life I lead today. Three children, divorced and remarried (great institution, marriage;) and living in the country with lots of animals, working in a big law firm, technogeek, earth mother.
The women who are closest to me, in my "Sister Circle" surround me with love and blessings beyond measure. They know that while I will be 800 miles away, my spirit will stay with them, our love for each other unimpeded by distance.
It's comforting to get going away parties, to tell all my friends what they mean to me, how much I treasure the memories we've made: working together, watching our children grow up, going through major life cycle stuff - births, deaths, weddings, moving, big family camping trips, semi-formal dinners and cookouts, crafts projects and even a barn raising! (this is how we built our garage:))
I know St. Louis will be a grand adventure for us - even if the kids can't see that yet. For now I am packing and praying to get everything done. Finishing up at my job, scheduling movers and contractors and figuring out how to tell the kids. Looking for a new home from very far away.
It's more than even I can do alone. Tom helps, and yet I wonder if the overload is a blessing too. Sometimes not thinking about the painful stuff is the best path through the looking glass. Like one dear friend said, maybe moving is like going to the dentist. Better not to think about the painful part until it's upon me.
So on we go.
Carpe diem (seize the day),
v