I have had MANY relationships: some lasted years, others months, and some only the length of a Martin Scorsese film (those ones were some of my favourite).
Many of these relationships were good, some not so much, others really difficult, and some so easy they were actually fun. However, none of these relationships, with men, were ever as difficult and confusing as those I have had with women. By “relationships” I mean friendships…
As I was indulging in my guilty pleasure of watching The Real Housewives of Vancouver, I had an epiphany! I suddenly realized that I had been friends with all these women at one point or another in my life. Not them them, but women just like them. I am sure we all have been friends with at least a few of these women.
I had a Jody in my life—in fact it took years off of said life. However, I will admit, I learned so much from it. This “friend” was all behind my back, I felt like a fool, I had no clue. Much like Jody, she also thought that she walked on rose petals.
To this day I still have a Ronnie (minus the plastic surgery) in my life. I am still friends with my Ronnie to this day and have been for 16 years. We now live in separate cities, yet when we are together it is like nothing has ever changed.
I was friends with a Mary for quite a few years. She was sweet and kind, however, a tad bit needy. Quite jealous if I played with others or if she wasn’t invited to the sandbox. I know so many women like this, missing some sort of “self” is what it seems like.
Then there is Christina (except add kids to my version). She is “well provided for” and leads a “life of leisure.” Surprise: I was the Christina. I was the party girl, oh did I luv to party. I was a single mom of two and when it was my weekend without the kids, I made the most of every second. I was wined and dined and well-traveled. I had me some fun! Like Christina I never had many close girlfriends—I found them to be backstabbing and catty. My BFF list could fit on half a cocktail napkin and that was perfect. I always knew where I stood with them.
My love affairs with men have been my greatest romances, but my relationships with women have been my greatest life lessons.
How are your friendships with your girlfriends? Do you find them more difficult than with men? Can you relate your friends to a movie or television show?
Dee Brun is the award-winning author of Libations of Life: A Girl’s Guide to Life One Cocktail at a Time, a cocktail chef and stylist, TV personality, home entertaining guru, writer, humorist, wife, mother of 4, TV Junkie, shoe-aholic, and borderline George Clooney stalker. Read her column, Isn’t it Deelightful, every Friday on Slice.ca.
