You know what I love best about blogging? Is the
capturing of all the fleeting simple beautiful moments of our lives. The
ability to take something that meant something and that you loved and bring it
to life in words. To not forget about it. The same goes for the less good moments,
the sad ones..the hard ones…they get captured (unless you read some of the
blogs I read (which I now stopped reading!) where lots of people never seem to
feel pain, heartbreak or sadness EVER)
What blogging does is keep records of your true and
authentic journey of life. Your existence. It captures the complexity of being
human and that in itself is a beautiful thing. It ultimately reminds me that I am
far from perfect..far from needing to be..full of strength and weaknesses and
able to live fully with many flaws.
By blog last night was about the flaws in my family and
wanting to get back to some structure. Today it is about a perfect night amongst
that chaos. Paradoxical. Holding two
distinct feelings on the same equilibrium. Chaos and peace. Happiness and
Unhappiness. To me the best blogs are the ones who capture both…since being
human is feeling with both head and heart which often in essence contradict
themselves.
I had an evening this week that was totally and utterly
perfect in every single way. It was so much fun and I am not sure in my
lifetime I have ever felt such a feeling of laughter and lightness and fun. We
were invited on the Sweethearts new boat and the Holidays came and a new
friends of theirs with her son. So a big boat with 17 people. The weather was absolutely
incredible. You know one of those nights that the wind is even warm and the
moon is lighting up the entire lake? Breathtaking really.
We left work early and got on the boat at 5:30. Went to
the sandbanks part and had drinks (even me!!!) and lots of yummy snacks and all the kids
jumped in the lack and swam for an hour. We just drank and ate and laughed. And
I really clicked with the new girl too and she really clicked with me. Our sons
clicked with her son too and it was nice to invite someone new into the crowd
for that evening.
Then we went a restaurant on the boat and waited 1.5 hrs
for our meal!!! But it did not matter as we are all having a blast. The kids
had a far away kids table for 11 and they were amazing. Ages ranging from 4-15
and thanks goodness the new boy was in high school which makes it more fun for
my older two as well….so that was a bonus. The meal when it finally arrived was
amazing..so delicious and we all shared both the food and the bill. Great conversations
and jokes. To go down in history was “le petit jerk” and “shut it down
Robert!!!!” (he said the way she said it was super sexyJ)))) hahahahahahah!!!!!
(And then Sweetheart decided to kept the kids get ice-cream
at 11pm anywaysJ)
The boat ride back at 11pm was the best. We laughed and
laughed and laughed and laughed. The four women to the point of peeing our
pants. Our two daughters imitated us the whole way and it was
hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At least they are learning what good friends do right????
It was truly an example of happiness and lightness that I want my daughter to
learn as it is part of me that I cherish that is not always there. The part
that says to my Bffs on the boat “Screw soccer and have fun!!!! Skip it!!!!!
And they all did and thanked me laterJ))
We arrived under the luminous moon lit yacht club at
almost midnight (don’t forget many of us working the next day). From there I
took 4 of the older kids with me along with my 3 back to my house for a
midnight swim in the pool..a bit of gaming..some popcorn and a sleepover.
The next day Sweetheart texted her 12 yr sold son and
said “when shall I come pick you up?”
His answer: “Never”
It was just the perfect night-among many we have had this
summer. It stood out in my mind and will forever. There was something very
special about it. Something also in acknowledging that our kids are growing and
changing and we are adapting. Longer nights, kids table, older kids being able
to stay out later than younger kids and having different privileges now. We are
all living this crazy life alongside each other and it felt good.
It was all perfect.
And like the boy at my house who never wanted to go
home….I never ever want to forget what beautiful friends I have in my life and
never take for granted the love they give me and my family. The tennis camps,
the boat rides, the remembering to call about the smallest details. The
laughter, the love, the sharing of our kids and our lives. Creating PG, and
sharing homes and hearts. Learning and loving.
Family
is everything.
Friends
are everything too and something every family should have
alongside them to heighten the joy and capture the sadness. Friends are the
icing on the beautiful cake. I have always always known this but for some
reason this summer…my cake is even more succulent and delicious.
It brought it home this week at work when a woman I know
who very sadly lost her husband last year to a sudden heart attack (he was
38!!!) and they had just blended their two families 7 yrs. ago and had a baby
togetherL((
She said in a training she was giving to a big audience with tears rolling down
her cheeks:
“Always have an extended family. Always. Treasure your friends
and love them fully. And be loved by them. Never ever depend on the crazy
notion that your spouse will be there forever. Have many many soulmates in your
life and let them in. Don’t ever treat your friends and extended family, the ones
you truly love anyways, as second class citizens. Make them part of your A team
alongside your immediate family. And teach your kids to do the same”
Although this scared me to bits it made a ton of sense.
And
I realized that it has always been the way I live my life. This
summer I took it up a notch higher even. This summer in particular I realized
that just like my family…I could never live without my friends either.
They are all deeply engrained in my heart forever.
