Most Rewarding
02-19-2002,

Most Rewarding...

February 19, 2002

Today at work, I was talking to Laura, about some of the things that the girls and I are planning to do while we are in Naples. She was giggling because she thought it was so cute the way we plan things so much, and okay, sometimes so far in advance. She said.. Wow, you guys must really be all alike.

This is something that I've thought about so often. If you would have told me a few years ago, that I would be in a relationship like this with 3 other women, I am not sure I would have agreed. I have always been much better one on one. I have always had friends, and yah, in High school, I had a few friends that hung out together, but there was always one friend that I felt closest too, one friend that was my best friend, and the rest were just friends that hung out together. But somewhere along the line, things changed, and the four of us have come together and have established a friendship that goes beyond anything I've ever experienced before.

I have to say that my relationship with each of these amazing women is totally different from the next, but that we really also share a very close friendship as a group. I have often said that being friends with Jen, Cory and Tonya, as a group, has been one of the hardest things that I've ever done at times, but I also have to say that it has also been one of the most rewarding things I've ever done.

Cory, Jen, Tonya and I are all very different people, different from each other in the way we think about many things, the way we act in many ways.. in so many different areas of our lives.. and yet, when I think about each of them I can see so many similarities that I share with each of them. We have so very much in common, different things with each friend.. but yet so many of them. How is it that people can be so different and yet so alike, and that you can say.. I am just like her.. I am just like her.. I am just like her... and yet in such different ways? So many things bring us together, so many things that keep us close. I am not going to sugar coat it, things are rarely perfect, but the wonderful thing is that we do not even try to pretend that they are. We accept our own faults and shortcomings, and those of each other, with grace and love. Acceptance! We each have our own quirks, but we don't try to change them, in fact, maybe we love each other for them, instead of despite them.

Sometimes when I talk about our friendship here, I feel like, wow, they must think I am a dork.. or maybe that it sounds like it's all too good to be true.. how could anything work so well.. but the fact is.. it doesn't always.. there are fights, and hurts.. and anger, jealousy, pettyness... all the things that exist in most relationships between women... but what there is that is good so makes up for anything that there is that is bad... the love, loyalty, honesty, faith.. the togetherness, support, friendship and trust... all of it is there, and it helps us work thru the bad times. I do not know what brought the four of us together, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

So my answer to Laura today was... no, we are not always alike, just the opposite most of the time, but there is better than that... We LIKE each other, and we choose to make it work! Good or bad, it's ours, and we cherish it.

I am probably the one in our group that likes to plan the most. I love to know what I am doing, how I am doing it and why... and my friends know this.. and they enjoy planning with me. Things like this make it work... we do things that we know make each other happy, and in doing so, they make us happy too.

I know this was a sappy entry... but they are things that were on my mind today.. and I am glad that I have this journal to write them down. Who knows.. next week when I am in a huge fight with one or another of these women in my life, I can look back at this and feel better knowing that things will always eventually go back to this... It's a good feeling.

1. I finally went out tonight and got myself a good pair of walking shoes. A pair of reebok which feel great. I hope that they improve the way my feet feel after my workout. My blisters are still not completely healed.. but I think this will help.
2. I am up to working out 40 minutes on the walking/jogging. That was my goal, and I am so excited to have reached it. I even have wanted to go even more the past 2 days, but I am not going to push it and burn myself out.
3. I got a gift from Jen today in the mail. A pedometer. Thank you so much Jen, I can't tell you how much I loved that you did this. How much I appreciate it. Okay, so it's broken, but I will exchange it. Can't wait to use it. Thank you again.
4. I also got in the mail today some pictures that I had printed at shutterfly. OMG, my digital camera (and Jen's too) totally really is awesome and the pictures are so beautiful. I cannot believe how great they look, as good as the pictures that I take with my regular camera. I loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee this.

Previously Set Goal (in Minutes) for February - 500
Minutes Needed to Meet Goal - 0
Minutes Over Goal - 370
Minutes Spent Walking/Jogging - 414
Miles Walked � 25.07