Tag: support group

More Than a Birthday: The Power of Friendship and Support

I had a great day yesterday, as my group of friends celebrated a major milestone: one of our own turned sixty! Instead of going out for drinks or dinner—which would have been the easy route—we opted for a day trip. The birthday girl chose the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens for our special day together.

The Huntington Library had been on my to-do list for years. I’ve lived in the area for the last 30 years and had never made the time to visit. The place is simply beautiful, and on a typical Southern California December day, it was hot—77 degrees in December! We had a lovely time, enjoying a private tour, a delicious lunch, and some good coffee.

But what really made the day special wasn’t just the fact that we were celebrating a birthday—it was the fact that we were together as a group. We’ve been friends for more than fifteen years, and we come from very diverse backgrounds, with different political views, life stages, and experiences. Despite our differences, we manage to celebrate each other and be there for one another.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we became each other’s “bubble group,” offering support through both happy and difficult times. Luckily, our husbands get along too, which makes everything even more enjoyable!

We make sure to carve out time for each other in our busy lives. We try to check in weekly, and we’ve established our own “headquarters” at a local coffee shop. What makes our friendship work is that, despite our differences, we respect each other’s viewpoints and cherish each other in every other way.

They say that having strong friendships and a solid support system is one of the most important factors for happiness in life, and I truly believe that. Surround yourself with good friends—friends who will be there not only for the good and easy days but especially for the bad ones, and for every milestone you experience along the way.

My support group

I had a fun day today, I finally had a fun day with my close friends. We  drove to the  big city, had a great brunch and had a great time all around. But the best time we had was not at brunch or sightseeing, it was actually when we were stuck in a traffic jam for two hours.

For two hours we spoke honestly and openly and it was great, most importantly we actually listened to each other without judgment. We figured out we haven’t had time together like this in a couple of years. Before the pandemic we traveled together and saw each other  frequently, but somewhere during the pandemic we didn’t get together as much as we could and when we did it was  with our spouses and families as this was our covid bubble.

I didn’t realize how much I needed our girl time until today. We tend to forget how much we need our close friends and the emotional support we provide them and they provide us. They say that those with close friends have healthier and better lives. These amazing women are the ones that when they see I can’t figure out what the conversation is around me (I have severe hearing loss) tell me what’s going on and make sure that with all my food allergies I have something to eat. These women were my support when I lost my hearing, broke my foot and were my support through all my other mishaps and I am happy they are in my life.

I came home with renewed  energy and the feeling that with their support I can handle anything else the universe throws my way.