Straight Talk Sunday
It’s been a while since I wrote one of these, but I think I’ve got something good to say today. I was born 24 years ago today. In celebration of my big day, a group of my friends and boyfriend joined me at a party at a nearby bar. Though today has been slow moving after a late night, I can easily say that last night was one of the best nights I’ve had in a long time. I’ve had plenty of good times lately, but this one stood out from the rest, and I think there’s a clear reason for it. Seems to say I’ve found the formula for extreme happiness in my life. Want the secret? Hit the jump for the rest of the story.
I’ve always been the type of person who likes to be surrounded by a diverse group of people. In college, I naturally fell into a group of friends, mainly because I went to the same school as some of my childhood friends. Even though I had an incredible group of friends, though, I found comfort in always making new friends. The way I see it, the more the merrier, no? As time went on, I found that I was fortunate enough to have friends in tons of different groups around campus. Different classes, different sororities and fraternities, different walks of life…
By saying this, I’m not trying to call myself popular or anything petty like that. I don’t actually remember the last time I used that word, because I think it’s one that could easily be taken out of the English language and we might be better off for it. What I’m trying to say is that it served to my advantage that I allowed myself to open my mind and be friends with people from all corners of campus. I was raised to be kind to all people who cross my path, and this got me to a very good place in college.
After graduating from college, it’s hard to continue a lifestyle of having tons of different friends from different areas. Making friends is hard when you’re taken out of an institution where everybody is in the same situation. Once you’re out of school, most people already have established friend groups, and you are likely expected to fit in with one of them. So it’s been weird for me to go from one extreme to another, and at times I’ve missed the old ways a lot.
Last night, at my informal “birthday party,” the room was filled with people from several different corners of campus. It was a reminder of the fun I had in college with friends from such diverse groups. I was so touched by some of the people who came around to say happy birthday. I had people from my sorority who were two years younger show up, I had friends of friends show up, I had some neighbors show up, I had a friend from work show up, I even had one friend who I met one time randomly at a bar show up. And suffice it to say, I think everybody at the bar last night had a fun time. It was a great way for everybody to meet new people, and everybody seemed to enjoy everybody else’s company.
Bottom line: do your best to be kind to all people who cross your path. Maintain friendships. You are the company you keep. The best times in life are spent with good people. I can likely say that last night, because of the company I was surrounded by, will go down in my books as one of my favorite nights of my life.
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