Supportive Friends

It is said if you can count your friends on one hand, you are blessed. Well, I know I am truly blessed! I have  some of the best friends. I have known some for only a few years and others since childhood. They come from all walks of life and have different roles in my life.

A true friend deposits into you and you into them. I am only going to share what their friendships mean to me. Trust and believe my friends are very important to me, even though I am perceived by some as not the warm and fuzzy type. My friendships make me feel all warm and fuzzy. Initially, I started writing about people individually, but after I started writing, more and more people came to mind. So, I decided to write about groups of people in some instances. They embodied the same characteristics and/or feelings in me. Follow me....good!

Temba - Temba means trust, hope, and faith. This name was one of the line names I was given when pledging Delta. This meaning of the name exemplifies what my line sisters/sands mean to me. SN: My line number is 5, which means grace. So I exemplify trust, hope, faith and grace. I like that! These ladies are so diverse and each are special to me in her own way. We have shared hopes, dreams, fears, and worries. Even though many miles separate some of us, we are able to talk on the phone, send texts, or chat on Facebook. I have communicated with three different line sisters this week alone by each method.

Just the other day, I talked to one on the phone for over an hour. We took the time to really catch up on what was going on in each other lives. We talked about our bucket lists, vision boards, children, health, jobs, growing from young ladies to full grown women with families, old dreams, new dreams, desires, and accomplishments. It was as if we are sitting back in the dorms.

It is amazing to see how we have grown and changed but know that our core is still the same. Like blood sisters, we argue, fuss and fight, but we are their for each other AND will not let anyone else mess with the other. We have accomplished small and big things but nothing erases our realness as women and sisters.

Gamma Zeta sorors Spring 95 and our President and DP 

Book Club Sistahs - The love of books is what brought us together. I thought I would meet with these ladies for a few hours once a month to discuss a book then go about my business. I soon realize this group of women were so much more that your average book club. There were so many sub groups, such as a financial group, a community service group, a journal writing group and a few others. I quickly had a new group of ladies to share and hang out with. Even though I could not give the book club the time it needed, I have gained some really good friends in the process. We have taken trips across the country and retreats in the mountains.

Like my sorors, there are ladies in this group I can share anything. Two of them are LadyLee and Rae Rae. Lee is one of the least judgmental people I know. Oh, and so quiet! She sits back and observe. However, you make it into her circle, you are the blessed one. Lee is super smart (even though she keeps it under wraps). If she considers you a friend, she will find ways to put a smile on your face. We have shared sermon notes, financial goals and affirmations, vision boards, and her wonderful blog. I learn so much from her! She has made it to Baby Bandit's games and gives words of encouragement to him (with her famous cookies).  More than anything, she has a heart of gold.

Rae Rae is really our refine, proper, Ms Manners' friend. Now, don't go thinking she is stuffy because she is not. Her momma just raised her right..LOL. Rae will give (and have given) her last to others, even if it is detrimental to her. (Yeah, I am still working with her on that issue). I remember clearly when I really opened up to her about who I really am. We had been friends for awhile. We were on a joint book club meeting in San Diego. We were just hanging out on our own bootleg tour of the city. We wanted to explore different things than most of the group. Both of us believe one monkey does not stop the show. So we let them go their way and we went ours. Since her husband is of Latin descent, she wanted to explore the Latin culture as well. We had a ball just sightseeing, shopping, and sharing. During that trip, we went pass the superficial layer of friendships most of us have with most people.

Cathedral in San Diego

Some members Circle of Friends II Book Club at Joint Meeting in San Diego

Wall Art in San Diego

Serenity - I "met" Serenity through LadyLee. In many conversations, she would mention this lady in Charlotte. She admired her determination to set goals and tackle her. Like LadyLee, Serenity has a blog. I started following her blog faithfully...just like Lee's. I was the official keeper of their blogs. If they did not post in a couple of days, I send a friendly email asking about it. Serenity's blog allowed me to get to know her better. Lee tease us all the time saying Serenity is her friend not mine. However, she is also a soror, which means we are instant friends and sisters. (Now what, Lee?) Serenity have alot in common. Other than Delta, we are both single mothers raising boys, worked in the insurance industry and actually the same company, moved hundreds of miles from our family, and constantly striving and achieving. I remember Serenity asking me to do a guest post when a bunch of her blog friends decided to work through Michelle Singletary's book, Power to Prosper. Through our frienship established through her blog (and later email and calls), she knew just what day I needed to blog. Whenever we finally meet in person, I know we will chat like old friends.

Twin - We have been friends since childhood. We were in Catholic schools together and enjoyed some many memories together. She has all of my teenage secrets and know where all the bodies are buried...LOL. She has been there through many firsts - 1st basketball team, 1st boyfriend, 1st drink, 1st car, 1st heartbreak, 1st home, 1st curfew violation, and some many things I am not revealing in black and white! We did almost everything together as teenagers! Since my sisters were younger, Twin was my sister! We did everything together. We were together so much she had her own room at my house! However, most of the time we were in the same

I remember a time when we got into so much trouble in 9th grade, the school had us seeing the counselor once a week. We would sit and plot the stories we were going to tell her. Our "troubled ways" were being talkative and opinionated. The school was not use to little Black girls not being afraid to express ourselves anytime we felt the need. The funny thing is our "troubled ways" only caused us to get an occasional detention. We were never suspended or even being expelled. Today's teachers would love for us to be their biggest problem. Academically, I was at the top of the class. I was 1 of only 2 Black students in all honor classes and was an A student. I just very talkative and hated wearing regular shoes with the uniforms. I thought my tennis shoes were quite appropriate with the green uniform skirt! 

We don't see or talk to each other nearly as much as we want to But when we do, it is as if we never missed a beat! Every time I go home, we talk for hours like teenagers again. Even though we live hundreds of miles apart and do not get to see each other nearly as much as we want, she is never far from my heart.

I have one thing in common with all of my friends: I got your back no matter what. You are never alone in this world.