Thank God for Fridays and Thank God for Friends.
I love Fridays. And don't be mistaken, not the restaurant but the glorious day of the week that kicks off the weekend. It's just one of those days that almost always feels perfect.
That being said, Fridays also seem to be the best days for me to write. My head seems a bit more clear and my thoughts tend to flow freely, although sometimes I am overloaded with so many ideas that I have to sift through them to settle on one particular topic that really peaks my interest.
Today is one of those days where my thoughts are all over the place, bear with me. There will be a point. We might just discover it together.
Last weekend I was blessed to have the opportunity to get away with three of my very best friends. We were off to celebrate another 40th birthday which is, of course, worthy of celebration. Per my dear friend Jen's recommendation, we kicked off our weekend on Thursday with a lovely dinner in Santa Barbara at a quaint little restaurant off the beaten path called Jill's Place. It's a locals only kind of place with a great atmosphere, and the food and drinks were yummy but the company was better. It's hard to describe the amount of laughter we shared other than there were definite times throughout the evening that I thought I might need an adult diaper. TMI?
As the weekend progressed, three other ladies joined our gang. These women were friends of the birthday girl. I met two of them before and as it turns out, knew the other one from my brief stint at Vista Del Rio Jr. High in 1987. (My world continues to shrink).
We all clicked immediately and with the addition of alcohol, gossip magazines, an ocean breeze, sunshine, lounge chairs and a pool, it was easy. That coupled with the fact that we are all busy mothers, so not having to look out for, spray sunscreen on, tend to or run after any children, was a recipe for instant camaraderie.
The weekend was long and enjoyable beyond measure and my dear friend Amber was able to relax and focus on herself and her needs. And as a mother of four, that is a real luxury. Amber's situation is unique, more so than the rest of us. I have shared this information before but in case you may have forgotten, Amber's son was injured severely and paralyzed in a freak accident in the ocean at Newport Beach a little over two years ago.
Since then, as you can imagine, Amber and the rest of her family's lives (especially and most importantly her son, Zack), have changed drastically.
There are so many things I admire about Amber but her devotion to her children and family is one of the things I admire most. She's open and honest about her feelings and her life and she doesn't sugar coat things. She says Zack is her inspiration. But she also makes it known to each one of her other children how unique and special they are. She is gifted as a mother and a friend, her faith is unwavering and I don't think she has a clue as to how truly amazing and special she is.
I have shared this with her before, but I just feel like it's not something you can ever say enough.
On the last night of our trip, we sat around the fire out on the patio of the hotel bar, drinking wine and cocktails, eating pizza for dinner and bantering back and forth while laughing hysterically as we recapped the events of the previous days.
In true form (and after about four red wine spritzers) I decided that I needed to share the blog I wrote about transformation. This prompted my friend Jen to "take it to a deeper level" and she posed this question: Which personal characteristic or trait do you think serves you the most, which serves you the least and why?
As each woman shared her answers, the rest of us commented on the responses. It opened a discussion forum that really focused on reinforcing the positive ways in which we view ourselves and helped us all recognize that our self-described weaknesses were actually areas where significant growth was waiting for us, just lingering on the horizon.
One of the things I took away from that experience was a deeply renewed connection with my old friends as well as with my new ones. Sharing intimate thoughts and details about yourself is not easy for many, I however, don't have that problem. Again, sometimes I tend to over-share, see paragraph four above or any of my other blogs in case you haven't figured that out.
As we wrapped up our impromptu group therapy session, we all walked away with a feeling of joy and happiness which followed us through to our spontaneous dance party among the diverse crowd at the Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Resort. The energy was electric and tangible and we harnessed it right up to the point when we walked back to our room at midnight and Amber and Michelle commandeered a rouge shopping cart for a quick ride on the hotel grounds. We finally collapsed into bed after a fun filled day, one that I won't soon forget.
When we woke Sunday morning, there was a definite shift in the energy. We would all be headed home, back to our every day lives. I could sense the hesitation as we lingered about, taking showers and slowly packing up enough food, water and other stuff to have sustained us for two weeks, let alone four days...Wishful thinking for a longer stay I suppose.
I tried for a late check-out but alas, it was not to be. So as of 11:00, we had to say good-bye to suite 9-302. We promised to return someday, perhaps with our families in tow. But nothing can replace the power of a girls getaway and this one in particular.
As we parted ways and headed back to our regular lives, we left with a feeling of rejuvenation of spirit and soul, as well as many great memories and new friends. I think if we all spent more time focusing our energy on being positive and seeing ourselves the way others see us, the possibilities for happiness become endless.
So on the days you are feeling a little off, maybe sad or insecure, Call up your best friend (and this goes for you guys too) and revisit that question Jen so eloquently suggested: What serves you the most, what serves you the least, and why?
That being said, Fridays also seem to be the best days for me to write. My head seems a bit more clear and my thoughts tend to flow freely, although sometimes I am overloaded with so many ideas that I have to sift through them to settle on one particular topic that really peaks my interest.
Today is one of those days where my thoughts are all over the place, bear with me. There will be a point. We might just discover it together.
Last weekend I was blessed to have the opportunity to get away with three of my very best friends. We were off to celebrate another 40th birthday which is, of course, worthy of celebration. Per my dear friend Jen's recommendation, we kicked off our weekend on Thursday with a lovely dinner in Santa Barbara at a quaint little restaurant off the beaten path called Jill's Place. It's a locals only kind of place with a great atmosphere, and the food and drinks were yummy but the company was better. It's hard to describe the amount of laughter we shared other than there were definite times throughout the evening that I thought I might need an adult diaper. TMI?
As the weekend progressed, three other ladies joined our gang. These women were friends of the birthday girl. I met two of them before and as it turns out, knew the other one from my brief stint at Vista Del Rio Jr. High in 1987. (My world continues to shrink).
We all clicked immediately and with the addition of alcohol, gossip magazines, an ocean breeze, sunshine, lounge chairs and a pool, it was easy. That coupled with the fact that we are all busy mothers, so not having to look out for, spray sunscreen on, tend to or run after any children, was a recipe for instant camaraderie.
The weekend was long and enjoyable beyond measure and my dear friend Amber was able to relax and focus on herself and her needs. And as a mother of four, that is a real luxury. Amber's situation is unique, more so than the rest of us. I have shared this information before but in case you may have forgotten, Amber's son was injured severely and paralyzed in a freak accident in the ocean at Newport Beach a little over two years ago.
Since then, as you can imagine, Amber and the rest of her family's lives (especially and most importantly her son, Zack), have changed drastically.
There are so many things I admire about Amber but her devotion to her children and family is one of the things I admire most. She's open and honest about her feelings and her life and she doesn't sugar coat things. She says Zack is her inspiration. But she also makes it known to each one of her other children how unique and special they are. She is gifted as a mother and a friend, her faith is unwavering and I don't think she has a clue as to how truly amazing and special she is.
I have shared this with her before, but I just feel like it's not something you can ever say enough.
On the last night of our trip, we sat around the fire out on the patio of the hotel bar, drinking wine and cocktails, eating pizza for dinner and bantering back and forth while laughing hysterically as we recapped the events of the previous days.
In true form (and after about four red wine spritzers) I decided that I needed to share the blog I wrote about transformation. This prompted my friend Jen to "take it to a deeper level" and she posed this question: Which personal characteristic or trait do you think serves you the most, which serves you the least and why?
As each woman shared her answers, the rest of us commented on the responses. It opened a discussion forum that really focused on reinforcing the positive ways in which we view ourselves and helped us all recognize that our self-described weaknesses were actually areas where significant growth was waiting for us, just lingering on the horizon.
One of the things I took away from that experience was a deeply renewed connection with my old friends as well as with my new ones. Sharing intimate thoughts and details about yourself is not easy for many, I however, don't have that problem. Again, sometimes I tend to over-share, see paragraph four above or any of my other blogs in case you haven't figured that out.
As we wrapped up our impromptu group therapy session, we all walked away with a feeling of joy and happiness which followed us through to our spontaneous dance party among the diverse crowd at the Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Resort. The energy was electric and tangible and we harnessed it right up to the point when we walked back to our room at midnight and Amber and Michelle commandeered a rouge shopping cart for a quick ride on the hotel grounds. We finally collapsed into bed after a fun filled day, one that I won't soon forget.
When we woke Sunday morning, there was a definite shift in the energy. We would all be headed home, back to our every day lives. I could sense the hesitation as we lingered about, taking showers and slowly packing up enough food, water and other stuff to have sustained us for two weeks, let alone four days...Wishful thinking for a longer stay I suppose.
I tried for a late check-out but alas, it was not to be. So as of 11:00, we had to say good-bye to suite 9-302. We promised to return someday, perhaps with our families in tow. But nothing can replace the power of a girls getaway and this one in particular.
As we parted ways and headed back to our regular lives, we left with a feeling of rejuvenation of spirit and soul, as well as many great memories and new friends. I think if we all spent more time focusing our energy on being positive and seeing ourselves the way others see us, the possibilities for happiness become endless.
So on the days you are feeling a little off, maybe sad or insecure, Call up your best friend (and this goes for you guys too) and revisit that question Jen so eloquently suggested: What serves you the most, what serves you the least, and why?
Spend a helluva a lot more time on what serves you the most and harness that energy, savor it and share it. You don't need a fire or pizza or even wine. You just need a good friend you can count on, some encouraging words and a different outlook and if it happens on a Friday, that's even better.
I thank Amber again, for bringing us all together and for being a truly inspiring and generous friend.
*For my loyal friends and readers, I will take this opportunity again to remind you that Amber's son Zack undergoes rigorous physical therapy at Project Walk in Carlsbad, California. This intense program is not covered by insurance so the Collie family has a fund set up to accept donations to pay for Zack's ongoing needs. If you would like to make a donation (any and all amounts are welcome and greatly appreciated) visit www.zcollie.blogspot.com and you can read more about Zack, his personal story and how far he's come since his injury.
Thank you all, and Happy Friday!
I thank Amber again, for bringing us all together and for being a truly inspiring and generous friend.
*For my loyal friends and readers, I will take this opportunity again to remind you that Amber's son Zack undergoes rigorous physical therapy at Project Walk in Carlsbad, California. This intense program is not covered by insurance so the Collie family has a fund set up to accept donations to pay for Zack's ongoing needs. If you would like to make a donation (any and all amounts are welcome and greatly appreciated) visit www.zcollie.blogspot.com and you can read more about Zack, his personal story and how far he's come since his injury.
Thank you all, and Happy Friday!
