Goodbyes.

While prepping for our big move out West, we have been spending time with as much friends and family as we can! Drinks, dinner, celebrations, and lots of laughs. I thought that the goodbyes would leave me feeling somber but instead each person in my life shared the same excitement for us regarding our move. They cannot wait to see what this next chapter brings to us, so it was not a goodbye at all. More like “when can I come visit?”

My bestfriend Hilary came to visit us yesterday from Chicago and I was like a kid on Christmas morning when she arrived. Her visit got me thinking though… so many of life’s decisions result in such a monumental impact for the future. Hilary and I played lacrosse together at Augustana College and at the beginning we were friendly but certainly not braiding each other’s hair at sleepovers. Well, by the end of Freshman year, Hilary decided to transfer to UK and leave lacrosse behind. The team was sad to see her leave but we knew it was the best decision for her. To our surprise, she decided she missed lacrosse after one semester and wanted to return to Augustana to play lacrosse yet again. So when did we become bestfriends? I’ll get to the good stuff.

All four years of college, I lived with my bestfriend Kate who also played lacrosse and we were inseparable. We were the kind of friends that had too many inside jokes, so to hangout with us was frustrating and alienating. As we approached Junior year, we signed up to live in a four bedroom apartment with only three girls to fill it. Little did we know, Hilary didn’t have anywhere to live for Junior year since everyone had already decided by the time she arrived back. She asked a couple teammates before she got to the bottom of the barrel, myself and Kate.

It was an easy decision but I admit, we weren’t sure how it was going to end up since we had never been super close with Hilary. We said ‘yes’ and at the start of Junior year, we were all moved in and trying to get settled with each other. No one could have expected what was to come. Kate and I finally found our third Musketeer to join our crazy duo. We bonded so tightly together that year we couldn’t even imagine a time when the three of us weren’t bestfriends. The laughter, the shenanigans, the sheer stupidity that we enjoyed together was everything. And still is.

Eight years later, both Hilary and Kate have been by my side through life’s twists and turns. If Hilary decided to stay at UK for the duration of her college experience, our lives would be drastically different. Or if she never left Augustana, we wouldn’t have lived together Junior year. I honestly could not imagine my life without her. We have stood at each other’s weddings, celebrated milestones together, and randomly call each other to catch up. While we each live in a different state now, our friendships never seem to fade. The laughter doesn’t dull. The smiles that we have plastered on our face when we’re together never shrinks. True friendship knows no distance, it’s embracing the small opportunities to visit or calling to let them know you’re there if they ever need you.

Watching her interact with Erik last night made my heart happy. She treats him like one of the girls and it seems like they have known each other for decades. The three of us may not see each other as much as we want but you better believe, if they needed me I would drop everything. Adulthood is seeing your bestfriends when you can and picking up right where you left off every time.

If I could go back in time to do anything over…. I wouldn’t. Simple as that. Each decision made by myself and those around me have led me to this exact point. I remember feeling bewildered to hear that from an adult at one point in my childhood. “You wouldn’t change anything??” Of course there have been bumps along the way but they all led me to the most amazing people and places, I wouldn’t change it for the world. In 8 days we will be moving to Colorado, waking up to a mountain view, and enjoying each adventure as they come. It meant the world to me that Hilary drove up for the day to hangout with me before we left. True friendship is hard to come by so I consider myself extremely lucky to have a handful of bestfriends to share life’s journey with. Never take your friends for granted. They are simply the best kind of family that choose to do life with you.

“Some people arrive and make such a beautiful impact on your life, you can barely remember what life was like without them.” -Anna Taylor