I Promise To Be Your Real-Life Friend

My hair stylist is a real-life friend.

God bless her. She had to deal with my mascara-less look today. Goodness! After my appointment with her this morning I realized I again unintentionally left my home without mascara on my lashes. Let me remind you, I look ill without mascara.

Even though I didn’t look “my best” today, my hair stylist made me feel the like most beautiful woman in the world.

That’s real life.

real life :: life as it is lived in reality, involving unwelcome as well as welcome experiences, as distinct from a fictional world.

In my last post we talked about living real and being our transparent and authentic selves. Friend, I love transparency. I love it when people in my life live true to who they are and share their true selves with me. There’s no greater gift in a relationship, is there? I’ll take a friend who can be herself with me any day. Authenticity in life and in my relationships is important to me.

So, I guess that’s why I don’t mind talking about my messes and my mess-ups. You’ll find I desire to be that person in your life who never appears perfect and put-together. Because, friend, I’m not.

A real-life friend isn’t perfect.

A real-life friend is one who with whom we can be ourselves. We don’t have to do a certain thing, say certain words, or measure up to any sort of expectations. We are accepted for who we are. Perfectly imperfect.

A real-life friend stands with you in the good, the bad, and the ugly. Through the mountain top experiences in life, as well as the lowest valleys. She shows up when no one else does… with words, with hugs, with chocolate chip cookies.

I promise to be your real-life friend.

I’ll be your mascara-less buddy who meets you for coffee, even if I only drink decaf.

You might chuckle, as I’ll be your friend who’s hair is either frizzy or out-of-control or both.

You’ll find your car is always cleaner than mine. (That’s just the way it is, living on a gravel road.)

My house could use an update, and my clothes are tighter this year than last. (No, they didn’t shrink. But you won’t judge, right?)

I’m the one who has a hard time relaxing and unwinding, so I might need some prodding to do so.

And, yes. I still sweat the small stuff, but I’m doing my darnedest to trust God more than my feelings. (Let’s trust Him together.)

I’ll be the one with whom you can be yourself.

You’re free to be you. Even if you show up without mascara, or with a makeup-less face, or with your eyes full of tears. Or, even if you don’t share the same faith as me, or if you are affiliated with different political party than me. You’ll be invited in. Always. Because that’s what a real-life friends do. They invite each other in.

But, please know, I will mess up. I might say the wrong thing, or forget to text you back right away. I might not remember to show up with the chocolate chip cookies. (Gasp!) No, I won’t do it perfectly. But through God’s grace, I’ll love you like a real-life friend would.

Because real-life friends are life-long friends.

And, I believe real-life friends can change the world.

Thank you for trusting me to be that kind of friend. You’re a gift in my life, and I want to always treat you that way. Thanks for being here.

Much love,