Giggles, laughs, secrets, tears and sharing, these are the traits of friendships, more specifically, girl friendships. We have boyfriends or husbands, children or parents, but when we really want to get something deep down off of our chest, whom do we go to? Our girlfriends - because we know they will listen without judgment, provide support and encouragement and also tell us the truth!
Social wellness is a fundamental component of our mental health and emotional strength. Life offers many sudden changes and curve balls where relationships and friendships are one of the few things we can depend on. I have moved to many new towns and cities over the course of the last 26 years and the one thing I always prayed for was that God would put a good friend in my path. To that request, I have been blessed to meet many women who share my passion for exercise, faith, food, music and family. They are scattered all over the US and even though I may not see them as often as I would like, I know they are only a phone call away.
I have friends that I call when I feel anxiety rising. I have friends that I call to discuss work. I have friends that I invite to come visit because they are fun to be around. I have friends that are sensible and will tell me the truth. I have friends who cheer me up when I am depressed. I have new friends and ones that I have had my whole life. When I look back at all of the friendships that I have shared I feel so blessed that I have had people who have pulled through tough times, have been there to dance with me until 2 am, have been there through broken relationships, and have sat around the table to laugh, play games, and share silly stories. I could never make it without my girlfriends.
I moved to Richmond about 2 years ago for work and knew three people, mostly acquaintances, but one introduction led to another introduction and I gained three new friends. Without those three close friends it would have made that move much harder and way less FUN! This summer I moved to Knoxville to start a life with someone and now I am on the quest to find new girlfriends that I connect with instantly and will provide an outlet for me to giggle, laugh, share secrets, cry and dance!
Brookhaven Retreat is a women’s only treatment center that nurtures and embraces a woman’s need for friendship and support. Just as we feel comfortable amongst our girlfriends, a female-only residential facility allows women to feel safe to explore and express their pain, anxieties and daily stressors that often faze each and every one of us in our own role as a mother, wife, friend, sister and daughter.
I read this recently and it sums up girlfriends - Carmen Renee Berry, MSW, coauthor of Girlfriends: Invisible Bonds, Enduring Ties, says, “Women (much like men) speak their own language. But more than that, our girlfriends are the family we choose for ourselves.”
