“Nearly everything I know about love…

I've learnt from my long-term friendships with women. When you're looking for love and it seems like you might not ever find it, remember you probably have access to an abundance of it already, just not the romantic kind.” - Dolly Alderton 
We often focus on romantic relationships, and while that's important, we don't talk enough about the privilege of being surrounded by young women who want nothing but the best for you, who stand up and show up for you. For one reason or another, I’ve never been the luckiest in the friendship department. This isn't a sob story, but rather a love letter to the girlies (you too, Queen V and Uncle Steve) I’m currently rocking with. They are the rarest of jewels, and I consider myself blessed to have them in my life.
New stages in life, such as parenthood or marriage, are usually accompanied by friendship loss, at least from what I gather. But my underrated flex is that motherhood has brought me closer than ever to my friends. From administering pregnancy tests to runs to the ER because I came close to meeting my maker (several times—pregnancy did NOT agree with me!), to feeding me, or simply checking up on me from wherever in the world they were, to clinic visits every week and babysitting my Velcro baby while I wrote my exams, this group of 20-somethings continues to band together to make sure my daughter and I feel loved and cared for. What more could a girl ask for?
In the name of being cheesy, I think it’s a beautiful thing to feel truly seen and understood by your friends, especially when you’ve felt alone and misunderstood for so long. These friendships have taught me that it's okay to be vulnerable and let people in because the right people will hold space for your struggles and celebrate your triumphs. I'm grateful for these incredible women who have shown me the true meaning of love, support, and sisterhood.
While I know my friends don't expect anything in return, I’ll spend every lifetime pouring into their cups and nurturing them the way they have for me in this lifetime. The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb, I fear. Friendship is a gift that I cherish and will nurture for the rest of my life. No matter how much friendship trauma I’ve experienced in the past, I’d like to think that I found my tribe and I’m eternally grateful for them (I really hope this ages well). To them, I say what I don’t think I’ll ever be able to articulate out loud: thank you for being a constant source of light in my life.
There’s a pack for every lone wolf out there. I’m living proof of that.