We 7

Feb 20

This past weekend, I went away with my six college roommates.  We shared a house, two different houses actually, our junior and senior year of college.  All these years later, we still have one to two reunions per year, which is pretty amazing since we are now spread out through the Midwest, with one outlier in California, and we have complex logistics to coordinate to make it happen.  It’s been nearly twelve years since we left the invincible world of college and began our pilgrimage through adulthood.  Through the years, we’ve held hands and continued to live life together across the miles.

This year, they tell me I am different; I’ve grown, I’m stronger, I take more risks, I have more dreams.  (All good things–take that cancer!)

These girls came alongside me at a defining point in my life.  We bonded, we talked in the wee hours, we processed life’s mysteries and challenges, we laughed–oh, we laughed.  We simultaneously, yet separately, evolved to be Who We Are.  I can look at the thirty-four-year-old versions of my twenty-two-year-0ld friends and tell them they they are still true.  True to themselves, true to God, true to all that we believed and idolized when we were young and worry-free.  It takes more guts to be bold and grateful and hopeful and kind after twelve years of living as a grown-up.  But that’s what we are, we seven, we are bold, grateful, hopeful, and kind.  They make me give more and take less in the world–and that’s not something that comes easily.

I know that no matter what comes next, they’ll be holding my hands while I do it.  And I’ll be holding theirs.

7 comments

  1. I am so glad that you were able to get together, what FUN!!!
    I too am having an awesome week. Skiing in the Canadian Rockies, with my sister and brother-in-law, their 4 adult kids, and my husband and our daughter Andrea. Nine of us sharing a huge fabulous ski chalet in the mountains, hot tubbing it after skiing, cooking and playing cards after a full day of skiing. Today I felt like my old self, cancer is history, I am back!!! It feels exhilarating.

  2. Marlayne Skeens /

    Jen ~ TRUE FRIENDS are PRICELESS 🙂 I am so glad you were all able to get together 🙂

  3. How wonderful you could spend time together as the Seven Soul Sisters! Soldier on Sisters! Love, Aunt Annie

  4. Yay! Amazing weekend with amazing women! So great to see you my gorgeous, amazing, bold, strong friend!

  5. Bonnie J /

    I for one, as a mom of one these wonderful ladies totally concur. ★★ I’ve been there to see the growth, change and ever present support you all are to one another – a tremendous gift from the Lord !! I’ve been so blessed to be part of this company and I love you all. I suspect these relationships will endure for a lifetime with grace, love, laughter and encouragement. ★★★★★★★

  6. There is nothing like a real and true friend, if you have”ONE”, you are blessed

  7. You and your friends would love the book The Girls of Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow. I know my high school “sisters” of 30 years sure did!