Tonight I’m going to Vegas. It is our ten year anniversary. No, not for me and Ken. For me and my friend, Erika. We’ve been friends for much longer than that – since grad school, which is about 18 years – but it is our tenth anniversary of going to Vegas.
In 2002, we took our first trip to Vegas. It was love at first sight. I love my life, but I also love a good escape from reality and Vegas is just that. There is something about not having any rules, obligations or time schedules that puts me in a very good mood. I also do enjoy having a large cocktail at 10:00 a.m., because that is the culture of the town and…when in Rome, right?
We usually stay only two nights, because for both of us it’s tough to get away for more than that. But, being our anniversary, we opted for three nights. Our version of a trip to Vegas has nothing to do with seeing shows, going to nightclubs and eating at fancy restaurants. Our version is something like this:
6:00 a.m. Get up and run (Erika sleeps in). No shit. I really do this.
7:00 a.m. Coffee and lots of it. Find something to eat. Shower. Bikini.
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Lay at pool. This is a full time job and the perfect chance to play cards, people watch (I love the European pool at the Wynn – lots of boobies hanging out to comment on– but not mine).
5:00 p.m. – Find something to eat. I always bring Ritz and squeeze cheese to have in the hotel room. Dr. Oz recommends this. Shower, fall asleep, watch “Pretty Woman” or some movie that’s on all the time.
7:00 p.m. – Get gussied up. Hotel surf to find some $15 or $25 blackjack tables.
8:00 p.m – ?? – What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas (I made that up).
We girls know how important our female friendships are. They see us through bad relationships, poor choices, marriages, childbirth, parenting, and significant losses. Our girlfriends are the ones who help us pick up the pieces when we think we are just not going to make it through another day. Our true friends celebrate our successes like they were their own. And, a real friend always has your back. Always.
Today I picked up a book at the library by one of my favorite authors, Anna Quindlen.
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What I found on the jacket of the front cover could not be more appropriate for this subject of friendship:
“Ask any woman how she makes it through the day, and she may mention her calendar, her to-do lists, her babysitter. But if you push her on how she really makes it through her day, she will mention her girlfriends.”
When Ken and I (living in sin at the time, don’t tell my mom) loaded up our two cars and drove west from Virginia to settle in Colorado almost 20 years ago, I did not have one stinking friend out here. Except for Ken. Don’t get me wrong – Ken is probably my best friend in the world. But, we all know a girl needs girls.
I was so depressed. I moped around. I loved Colorado and I loved Ken, but I was desperately lonely for girls. Making friends can be harder as you get older. It is tough to not only meet people, but to take it to the next level of friendship. It took time, but I slowly made friends, and life slowly got easier.
What I’ve learned over the years is that when it comes to almost anything in life, it is the quality, not the quantity the counts. No amount of acquaintances on Facebook equals one, true friend. This quality vs. quantity law applies to blog posts, fine wine, running and toilet paper (maybe – although sometimes quantity is important when wiping). This law certainly and absolutely applies to friendships. You do not need tons of them, but you need a few real quality ones. That’s all it takes.
See you in Vegas!
Are you someone who has many friends, or just a few really good ones? I have quite a few friends, but only a handful of really good ones. Probably 5 or 6.
How have your girlfriends made your life better? Too many ways to name, but I know without them I’d be in a mental hospital, in jail or dead.
SUAR
