This weekend my very good friend Gail and I did a road trip to beautiful Kimberley, B.C. (http://www.kimberleychamber.ca/ ) As I have written so many times before, I have the most remarkable friends. They are like soul sisters really. We seem to have a six sense about one another. We all seem to show up in each other’s life just when the need for someone to be there arises. Quite remarkable that.
I have always believed that the most important part of a relationship was how well you communicated with one another. The thing I miss most from my relationship with my husband was the talking. We talked all the time, about all sorts of things. It is a wonderful feeling to have someone to bounce your ideas off of, whether they be of family issues, philosophy or dreams. It gives one another perspective on life. Sometimes that perspective is objective, sometimes not but releasing what is floating around in your head is just a good healthy exercise. I loved that Gary was always open to my weird and crazy ideas and dreams and how he indulged and participated in conversations with this remarkable unconditional love and acceptance.
I am most fortunate to have friends who also do the same. But lately I have not wanted to burden them with my talk as I have been rather down in the dumps. I’d tell someone this, another person that, but never really got my whole story out. So, Gail came to me last week and said, “San, lets head out to Kimberley for the long weekend and just get away from it all.” Luckily her wonderful and loving husband Kelly was all for this and so, off we went, Thelma and Louise in my little Pontiac Vibe.
When we got there I pretty much let the floodgates open and Gail listened to an evening of my sorrows. Tears flowing and all. By the end of the evening I was exhausted and so was she. But before we went to bed she said to me… “San, sometimes you just have to let go of some things and not look back.”
The rest of the weekend, we talked and cried and talked and talked and talked. We shared stories of similar experiences, of new experiences and of different experiences. Stories of our childhood, teenage years, young adult history and history about the loves of our life. We exchanged wisdoms about parenthood, sisterhood, and life philosophy in general. We swapped tales of old loves, joys and disappointments, deep pains and sorrows, our ultimate elations and our future dreams. We indulged in fine foods, in junk foods and food in general, all the while talking about how much weight we had to lose and how much we should just accept ourselves as we are.
If there is one thing I know about my girlfriend Gail is she is not lacking in self-esteem. Her mother taught her to be strong and to love herself and it is from this strength that Gail was able to give me some wise and loving advice and wisdoms. Gail is a brash and sometimes abrasive “broad”. She, like my friend Lois have no qualms to say it like it is and I trust and find empowerment in their truthful insights. They are very strong women and I respect them and love them dearly.
Gail was eager to get home today. It was a long drive and I know she wanted to get back to Kelly for I think she missed him and I don’t blame her. Kelly is a kind man and loves her with all his heart. I love hearing about their relationship. It reminds me of the one I had with Gary. More than anything, it reminds me that loving relationships do exist and how precious they are and how we must never take them for granted.
I learned a lot about my friend Gail this weekend, as she did me. I feel honoured to call myself her friend. She is a loving and caring person and my life is blessed with so many people of her nature.
This weekend was the beginning of the “annual” girlfriend weekend. We’re talking New York next year if money and husband agrees with the plans… and if not, well Gail has never hung out at Waterton (http://www.watertoninfo.ab.ca/gallery.html ) for the weekend, it’s just a 4 hour drive and a beautiful spot. But for sure, we will do this again. It certainly is good for the soul.
We didn’t rob a store, meet up with Brad Pitt and luckily never drove over a cliff, but we cemented a friendship that I believe will last a very, VERY, long time.
Thanks for the weekend Thelma! Always your friend, Louise!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Oh what fun!!!!! I am so glad for you. . .there is nothing like spending some time with someone who will love you no matter what you say or what you eat!
Roxanne
You are a very lucky woman, Sandy, to have such a great friend so near to you. That's something that I miss, too - the close conversations that Brian and I had. We'd tell our girls that we were having a cuddle time, and go lie on the bed and do just that - cuddle and talk. And since then, I really haven't had a girl friend who lives close enough to do that with. My 2 best friends live in Edmonton and Fredricton, so there are emails and infrequent phone conversations, but it isn't the same. There are very few people you can trust enough to spill your guts and know that they will simply listen or that they will encourage you to keep on going. I'm so happy for both of you -Thelma & Louise - that you have each other.
Post a Comment