girlfriends..(for women only)

[paddy]

A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother. As they talked about life, about marriage, about the responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter.

"Don't forget your girlfriends," she advised, swirling the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. "They'll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how much you love the children you'll have, you are still going to need girlfriends. Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them. And remember that "girlfriends" are not only your friends, but your sisters, your daughters, and other relatives too. You'll need other women. Women always do."

'What a funny piece of advice,' the young woman thought. 'Haven't I just gotten married? Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a married woman, for goodness sake, a grownup, not a young girl who needs girlfriends!
Surely my husband and the family we'll start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!' But she listened to her Mother; she kept contact with her girlfriends and made more each year. As the years tumbled by, one after another, she gradually came to understand that her Mom really knew what she was talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman, girlfriends are the mainstays of her life.
After 50 years of living in this world, here is what I know about girlfriends:

Girlfriends bring you chicken curry and scrub your bathroom when you need help.

Girlfriends keep your children and keep your secrets.

Girlfriends give advice when you ask for it. Sometimes you take it, sometimes you don't.

Girlfriends don't always tell you that you're right, but they're usually honest.

Girlfriends still love you, even when they don't agree with your choices.

Girlfriends laugh with you, and you don't need canned jokes to start the laughter.

Girlfriends pull you out of jams.

Girlfriends help you get out of bad relationships.

Girlfriends help you look for a new apartment, help you pack, and help you move.

Girlfriends will give a party for your son or daughter when they get married or have a baby, in whichever order that comes!

Girlfriends are there for you, in an instant and when the hard times come.

Girlfriends will drive through blizzards, rainstorms, hail, heat, and gloom of night to get to you when your hour of need is
desperate.

Girlfriends listen when you lose a job or a friend.

Girlfriends listen when your children break your heart.

Girlfriends listen when your parents' minds and bodies fail.

Girlfriends cry with you when someone you loved dies.

Girlfriends support you when the men in your life let you down.

Girlfriends help you pick up the pieces when men pack up and go.

Girlfriends rejoice at what makes you happy, and are ready to go out and kill what makes you unhappy.

Times passes.

Life happens.

Distance separates.

Children grow up.

Love waxes and wanes.

Hearts break.

Careers end.

Jobs come and go.

Parents die.

Colleagues forget favors.

Men don't call when they say they will.

BUT girlfriends are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you. A girlfriend is never farther away than needing her can reach.

When you have to walk that lonesome valley, and you have to walk it for yourself, your girlfriends will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end. Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you. Or come in and carry you out.

My mother, sisters, sisters-in-law, aunties, nieces, cousins, extended family, and friends bless my life! The world wouldn't be the same without them, and neither would I. When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other. Every day, we need each other still.

Pass this on to the women who help make your life work. I just did.

[yvette]

BEAUTIFUL!!! And so true in my life. Great post paddy!

Yvette

[MerengueDutchie]

A young man sat on a porch on a hot humid day, drinking coke and rum and visiting with his Father. As they talked about life, about marriage, about the responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the father clinked the ice cubes in his glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon his son.

"Don't forget your friends," he advised, swirling the ice to the bottom of his glass. "They'll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your wife, no matter how much you love the children you'll have, you are still going to need friends. Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them. And remember that "friends" are not only your friends, but your brothers, your sons, and other relatives too. You'll need other men. Men always do."

'What a funny piece of advice,' the young man thought. 'Haven't I just gotten married? Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a married man, for goodness sake, a grownup, not a young man who needs friends!
Surely my wife and the family we'll start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!' But he listened to his Father; he kept contact with his friends and made more each year. As the years tumbled by, one after another, he gradually came to understand that his Father really knew what he was talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a man, friends are the mainstays of his life.

After 50 years of living in this world, here is what I know about friends:

friends bring you chicken soup and scrub your bathroom when you are sick.

friends keep your children and keep your secrets.

friends give advice when you ask for it. Sometimes you take it, sometimes you don't.

friends don't always tell you that you're right, but they're usually honest.

friends still love you, even when they don't agree with your choices.

friends laugh with you, and you don't need canned jokes to start the laughter.

friends pull you out of jams.

friends help you get out of bad relationships.

friends help you look for a new apartment, help you pack, and help you move.

friends will give a party for your son when he gets married or has a baby, in whichever order that comes!

friends are there for you, in an instant and when the hard times come.

friends will drive through blizzards, rainstorms, hail, heat, and gloom of night to get to you when your hour of need is desperate.

friends listen when you lose a job or a friend.

friends listen when your children break your heart.

friends listen when your parents' minds and bodies fail.

friends cry with you when someone you loved dies.

[paddy]

Originally Posted by MerengueDutchie

A young man sat on a porch on a hot humid day, drinking coke and rum and visiting with his Father. As they talked about life, about marriage, about the responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the father clinked the ice cubes in his glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon his son.

"Don't forget your friends," he advised, swirling the ice to the bottom of his glass. "They'll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your wife, no matter how much you love the children you'll have, you are still going to need friends. Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them. And remember that "friends" are not only your friends, but your brothers, your sons, and other relatives too. You'll need other men. Men always do."

'What a funny piece of advice,' the young man thought. 'Haven't I just gotten married? Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a married man, for goodness sake, a grownup, not a young man who needs friends!
Surely my wife and the family we'll start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!' But he listened to his Father; he kept contact with his friends and made more each year. As the years tumbled by, one after another, he gradually came to understand that his Father really knew what he was talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a man, friends are the mainstays of his life.

After 50 years of living in this world, here is what I know about friends:

friends bring you chicken soup and scrub your bathroom when you are sick.

friends keep your children and keep your secrets.

friends give advice when you ask for it. Sometimes you take it, sometimes you don't.

friends don't always tell you that you're right, but they're usually honest.

friends still love you, even when they don't agree with your choices.

friends laugh with you, and you don't need canned jokes to start the laughter.

friends pull you out of jams.

friends help you get out of bad relationships.

friends help you look for a new apartment, help you pack, and help you move.

friends will give a party for your son when he gets married or has a baby, in whichever order that comes!

friends are there for you, in an instant and when the hard times come.

friends will drive through blizzards, rainstorms, hail, heat, and gloom of night to get to you when your hour of need is desperate.

friends listen when you lose a job or a friend.

friends listen when your children break your heart.

friends listen when your parents' minds and bodies fail.

friends cry with you when someone you loved dies.

touche!! very good

[MerengueDutchie]