Last night I had the chance to ring in the new year with some of my very wonderful friends from Messiah. I knew it was going to be great fun with lots of laughs but I underestimated how wonderful it would be for my heart. With a move to a new city, a new job with lots to learn, and living in a new home, my heart had been missing that genuine company of my Messiah family that I had come to love so, so quickly while living in Mechanicsburg. Although I had only lived there for just over 6 weeks, the joy, laughter, and fun that ensued was so freaking great. Each and every one of these girls in the pictures below (and those not as well!) gave me that rejuvenation I needed and I truly, full heartedly believe helped me to be in such a wonderful place to interview well and land my job at CHOP.
I think the connection and bond of true friend cannot be overstated. That connection that God gives each and every one of us with the people we can call our second family is something I have come to learn over my years of college, living in Guatemala, and moving about the state of PA post grad school.
Nothing particularly crazy or extraordinarily story worthy happened last night but I think I smiled and felt so happy for over an hour into my drive back to Philly. A night of story telling, memory making, and reminiscing with people you genuinely connect with deep down just made my somewhat lonely heart filled.
I do not regret for even a fraction of a second moving and taking a job in a city where I knew very few. I love what I do and truly feel that God has called me to this place and feel so unbelievably blessed to get the chance to put my passion into work. But sometimes talking about that weekend you literally lost all of your possessions and had to call AAA to tow your car, making honest to goodness plans to play your own version of True American because you all are obsessed with New Girl, talking in British accents all the way to Hershey Kiss drop (or raise lol), dancing like fools to some teeny bopper band with everyone around us staring, and having long talks over pancakes and orange juice juice-boxes about all things medical breathes life into a heart that sometimes aches for that true connection of friends who have know you through so many of life's phases.
A lot of adjusting happens when a pretty major life change happens like moving to a new city and starting a new job. These times come with a small amount of grieving for what was left behind and how some things in the new might be different. I remember feeling so much of this when I was living in Guatemala. There were times when the new and different was great but could overwhelm; but ultimately how from across countries my best friend in the whole world was able to lift my heart with strategic cards prepared well in advance to my trip and packed away in my suitcase for times when it was so needed. I think that is what this New Year's Eve, on the brink of 2014, was….it was a strategically dated card that I could open and read just when I needed it; a shared experience that could be laughed about and rejuvenate the soul. It was that reminder that although a lot of things have changed very quickly over the past few months that God brings you back together with those people who have become your second family to remind you that your foundation is still there; it might be living a little further away than you'd like but bring it all back together…it's like you were never apart :).
So here is to the happiest of New Year's to my Messiah family, my Pittsburgh family, my family family (lol), and my new family that is beginning to form here in Philly. If I can be blessed with even half the joy, love, and happiness that my Messiah family has brought and still brings, I will be overjoyed. And I just know that God has that and more planned as this new year begins and my new 'family' of friends is forming in a new city.
I end this post with the wise words from the great Mr. Rogers:
“In the external scheme of things, shining moments are as brief as the twinkling of an eye, yet such twinklings are what eternity is made of -- moments when we human beings can say "I love you," "I'm proud of you," "I forgive you," "I'm grateful for you." That's what eternity is made of: invisible imperishable good stuff.”
New Year's eve was only one night, 6 weeks is nothing in the grand scheme of life, three girls nights are nothing to the days spent focused on work, but it sure does make for the 'good stuff' that I wouldn't trade for the world.
Happy, happy 2014 everyone :).
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