Humans are relational beings.
This is a statement that I've heard countless times growing up. In church, in school, in conversation, in chapel, and countless other places.
In my younger years, I attended a private school that was kindergarten through 12th grade. In the thirteen years I spent at that establishment, I grew up with the same core group of people for the majority of those years. I really took those friendships for granted. Making friends at Berean was so easy because it was small. I was forced to be with these people five days a week, eight hours (sometimes more) a day.
College was completely different.
I came to Bryan during a time when I was really struggling with my self worth. Several of my friendships I had garnered during my high school years had fizzled out, and the common denominator was me. I blamed myself for the "failed" friendships. And to an extent, yes it was partially my fault. But not to the lengths that I took it.
Anyway. For the most part, my first two years on this campus consisted of me not speaking unless spoken to, not branching out and making friends, and certainly not being relational. Part of that came from my own insecurities. But a greater part came from fear. I didn't want to be rejected. Rejection always takes me to a dark place, reminds me of a dark time in my life. Sometimes even the fear of it sends me sprinting down that path.
The point of this post is for me to reflect on reasons why I personally am a relational being. I began to accept this fact after I allowed myself to open up to people and develop friendships. There have been several times where I've questioned myself as to why I allowed certain people into my life, but it's been during those times that I've been reminded that God is sovereign and uses all kinds of situations in ways that I can't even imagine.
So, now that all of that has been said, I want to take some time and brag on some of the people who make me thankful that I'm a relational being. This by no means is going to be an exhaustive list. These are just a small handful of the people who mean the most to me.
My best friend since preschool is Michelle. She and I have been friends since we were old enough to carry on conversations. We met one day at her church's preschool program. From there, we attended Berean together until sophomore year when she transferred to another school. We kinda drifted a bit during the rest of our high school careers. It was difficult to find time for each other with our varying schedules. But our families always got together for the holidays and birthdays and other special occasions. And Michelle and I always picked up right where we left off, no matter how much time had passed. We're at separate universities, but our friendship has never been stronger. She's my go-to girl whenever I need to talk about anything and everything, especially when I'm driving back to campus after being at work. Haha. She's so special to me; she's the sister I never had. I can't imagine my life without her.
There are two girls that I met through tumblr that have seriously become two of my best friends. The first is Callie. I stumbled upon her blog one day during the summer and just struck up conversation with her. We had the common interest of One Direction. Now, almost two and a half years later, she and I are like sisters. We've had our ups and downs, but she and I are absolutely inseparable. We've traveled the world together, gone on mini road trips, and enjoyed many a concert with each other. The second is Sam. I met Sam through a group of women who love One Direction on tumblr who all posted under the same tag. I decided to join in on the tag because one of the people I loved was a part of the group. After I joined, I found myself on Sam's blog asking her a question about potatoes of all things. And that's when our friendship formed. I've only known her for a few months, but she has quickly become like a sister to me. Both of these women are incredible. They both mean the world to me. I don't want to even think about what it would be like to not have them in my life.
At Bryan, there are seven women who immediately come to mind when I think about the friendships that I've made over the years. They've all been there for me during difficult times, joyous times, stressful times, and exciting times. My former roommates Erin and Rachel and current roommate Lexi have all taught me lessons in grace and love. In the months that I lived with these three ladies, I have grown and continue to grow and learn about myself in ways that I didn't know were possible. The same can be said for my current suitemate Megan. You don't realise how much of a blessing a person can be until you live with them. Heather is one of those rare finds. She was in my life group my sophomore year, and I can't tell you how amazing it was to watch her grow during her freshman year at Bryan. Now, she is one of my dearest friends. We understand each other unlike most. It's truly special. The final two women are Stacie and Katie. I can't say enough good things about these two. They have been there for me during times when I've needed them the most, as well as times when I didn't even know that I needed them. They're always there to offer prayer or encouragement or even just a listening ear. I love all seven of these girls so much. My time at Bryan would not be what it is and has been without them.
The final person I want to talk about is actually the one who inspired me to write this post. Justin and I met freshman year. But for some reason, we remained acquaintances until about halfway through junior year. We rekindled our friendship while we were in London, and we've essentially been inseparable ever since. Justin is one of those people who has a lot of friends that he talks to and hangs out with, but he always makes you feel like you're the most important person when he's with you. At least that's how it is with me. He's one of the few people I know I can always go to who will help to bring me back down to reality and reassure me of things that I already know to be true. Just the other night, I was really struggling with a few things. I was chatting with him like normal, and he simply reminded me of things that I had known to be true but just needed to hear again. Sometimes, that's the best quality to have in a friend. I honestly can't even fathom life without him in it. It just doesn't seem possible.
There are times when I still struggle with maintaining friendships because I've seen how quickly they can crumble. But all I need to do is think about just one of these folks and those thoughts just disappear.
I'm so glad that I am a relational being. And you know why? Because life would be pretty meaningless without relationships.
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