My favorite people are the ones who make me forget I was ever worried about anything five minutes ago.

I have one friend who picked me up for a road trip. She was coming from Utah, and I hadn’t seen her in a couple of years. On our way out, we stopped at Taco Bell. Within the first minute of sitting down, we were laughing to tears, almost choking on our first bites. I have no idea why we were laughing and it doesn’t matter. That’s kind of the point. Don’t get me wrong, our time is not always laughter, but it is always cherished. She has a way of making me feel chosen. 

I like feeling welcomed, not tolerated. And I try to return that gift just as freely. With my people, we can arrive as‑is.  I never want to feel like a burden, and I don’t want them to feel that way with me either. It settles something deep in the nervous system. Shoulders drop. Breath evens out. It’s therapy on a friendly budget.

One comes to mind. She has always been there.  She is my root friend. She shows up offline and on. She even reads everything I write, which is its own kind of loyalty. We can be lazy lions together. We both like chilling and visiting, giggling and pondering. We share small talk sometimes, but we can go into the deep waters too. That works because we both love swimming, literally and conversationally. We don’t have to keep a conversation going, and yet somehow, we always do.

I love being in the company of interesting people who don’t mind questions, giving and receiving. It feels like a privilege when my people share the good, the bad, and the everyday in-between. The best friends are the ones who stay curious about your life and invite you to stay curious about theirs too.

I have one friend close by, and we are heading out on a road trip soon. She is definitely a keeper. Why? Like my others, she is someone I admire. She is steady where I can be scattered. Thoughtful where I can overthink. She challenges me in a way that feels strengthening, not shrinking. We laugh, we plan, we detour. And I already know the miles will go quickly because that’s what good company does.

As lovely as my people are, no one is perfect. We get on each other’s nerves from time to time. It is inevitable. Give two humans long enough and someone will chew too loud, overthink too much, have a tone, hit a nerve while teasing, or try to instruct when no instruction was requested. It happens. That is just part of the package. The trick is loving the whole package anyway, even the fine print.

While today I’m shining a light on my gal pals, my gratitude always stretches wide enough to hold my amazing Mama, my darling, scrappy daughters, and my beloved grands too. With them and my siblings too, there is never enough shared time.

I am blessed with each and every one of them, but I also like my time. Where sharing takes a rest. Hanging out with me, myself, and I is where I spend most of my time. So, it is good, even healthy, to enjoy my own company. And when I get on my own nerves, I consider calling one of my favorite people so I can get on theirs too… but I try to pace myself. Even favorites need recovery time.