My Sex and the City

Sometimes I feel like I could sum up the story of my life in "Sex and the City" quotes... A single girl living in the city; dabbling in the dating world while still maintaining an epic social life with her three closest friends. I am thinking about Carrie Bradshaw of course, not myself, because I am obviously lacking the epic social life at this current moment considering my life consist of entertaining 5th graders by day and tyring to avoid an early death by exhaustion at night. No matter what point in life, Carrie Bradshaw always seems to have the exact words to describe my current life situations, especially when it comes to walking in a single girl's shoes.

Lately, with May lurking around the corner, I've found myself constantly thinking and talking about "...when I was in college." With every college senior counting down the days until they finally get to walk across the stage and collect their hard earned and hardly paid for diploma, I can only think back to that final week before graduation when the only thought passing through my mind was... "what have I not done that I wanted to do before graduating from college."

 I wanted to make sure that I wouldn't be looking back on my college days a few years down the road (like I am now) and wish that I had done more or even regret something that I wanted so badly to do and never found the time to. I can officially say that right now, 2 years after I've entered stumbled into the real world, I have not a single regret. 

From the relationships to heartbreaks and test cram sessions to outrageous nights out, I had the most incredible friends and sisters to share each and every moment with. It was these girls that taught me that "maybe some women aren't meant to be tamed. Maybe they just need to run free til they find someone just as wild to run with them." And that is exactly what I am currently doing. Running free, with no strings attached; waiting for the day when I find that "someone" to run with me.

  

These same girls, were the ones that I ran to at 2oclock in the morning when some dumb guy had decided to try and break my heart (try being the key word because no guy is worth a heartbreak.) They were also the same ones that encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone and dream big. Isn't it funny how “when you're young, your whole life is about the pursuit of fun. Then, you grow up and learn to be cautious. You could break a bone or a heart. You look before you leap and sometimes you don't leap at all because there's not always someone there to catch you. And in life, there's no safety net. When did it stop being fun and start being scary?” Well, luckily when life got hard, I had these girls to be my safety net. No matter what tried to come between us, we were always held together by a connection that was beyond that of friendship. We were sisters in ever sense of the word. Now, being at that point in life when things do start getting scary, I always turn to these fabulous ladies to keep the scary away and the fun still alive.

Now that we have all "grown up" and gone our separate ways, we have moved on to what seem like the bigger and better moments of life. We have successfully found jobs that not only pay the bills but also make us happy. Some have found the loves of their lives and their "I" has now become an "US." Some have even brought new lives into this worlds. And others are still living the life of independence. I mean, “It's really hard to walk in a single woman's shoes -- that's why you sometimes need really special shoes!” And my shoes are pretty daggum special! 

Now don't get me wrong. My life has been no fairytale. I've had my fair share of mistakes and have learned many lessons the hard way. But “maybe mistakes are what make our fate... without them what would shape our lives? Maybe if we had never veered off course we wouldn't fall in love, have babies, or be who we are. After all, things change, so do cities, people come into your life and they go. But it's comforting to know that the ones you love are always in your heart... and if you're very lucky, a plane ride away.” And we are lucky that the only thing separating us is a plane (or bus) ride away. Miles have separated us but our memories bring us closer together every day.

Looking back on my college days has only brought back memories of how lucky I am to have such amazing people in my life. They have shown me what true love is... and it too is not perfect. But, I am now at the point in my journey that "I'm looking for love. Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love." One day I will find that love, but for now I am happy living my life with no regrets.

Congratulations Class of 2011!

May all of your "must dos" be accomplished before you make that step into the real world.