Free Top 10 Treats of Trusty Girlfriendship by Janet Grosshandler Page B

of wine, or fill
up the tub with bubbles whenever I’m crazy upset. She knows
instinctively to get my mind off the crap and focus on taking care
of myself.”
    Girlfriends who provide our “comfort station”
give us the treat of self-care and solace when we are struggling.
Ahhhhhhhh. Just breathe.
    *
    9. Advice ally
    She dispenses trusty advice and guidance because
she has our back. Sometimes it’s advice we’re not always wanting to
hear but we have to listen because it really is “for our own
good.”
    When we asked others about the best girlfriend
advice they had received, here’s what they said:
    “Get rid of my boyfriend. That he was being
emotionally abusive to me. I didn’t want to hear that, but it turns
out she was 100% right. He was selfish and terrible to me. I
finally got out of that relationship.“
    “That my little girl wasn’t thriving and I
needed to switch pediatricians. Sure enough, our new doctor helped
us with a healthier regimen for our picky eater and she’s doing
much better. At first I felt like she was saying I was failing as a
mother. Now I know it was because she loved us so much that she
took the risk and said that.”
    “I almost bought a fixer-upper house convincing
myself I could do all the work myself and save money. She made up a
four-page list of what the house needed, how much it would cost,
materials and stuff to do it, and how much time each project would
take. Once I read that over, I knew I was being totally unrealistic
and stopped the purchase. She saved me from a huge mistake. Thank
you Heather!”
    *
    10. Whatever-ness
    This catchall is not the vague “Whatevah” that
we get from some disconnected others. This girlfriend treat is the
absolute guarantee that WHATEVER we need, want, and “got-to-have”,
she will deliver.
    A shoulder to cry on at 3AM? She’s there in her
jammies with a full box of tissues.
    Your baby was just rushed to the hospital and
the two older kids need a caretaker? She’s picking them up from
school and holding them with love until you are ready.
    You’re going to rejoin the dating world after a
painful divorce? She’s on speed-dial, ready to text you away on an
emergency if it turns out to be a dud experience.
    WHATEVER comes up, this girlfriend is Girl-Scout
ready to:
    * Help you pick up the pieces.
    * Solve problems big and small.
    * Make the tough decisions.
    * Love and support you in any upheaval.
    Here’s a little reinvention of a piece of wisdom
from a master poet.
    *
    On Friendship
    Kahlil Gibran
    (With a little help from me, JG.)
    Your (girl)friend is your needs
answered.
    (S)He is your field which you sow with love
and reap with thanksgiving.
    And (s)he is your board and your
fireside.?
    For you come to (her) with your hunger, and
you seek (her) for peace.
    *
    Now surely there are other treats we get from
our trusty girlfriendships.
    Whose face came up for you are you were reading
this e-booklet? Yup, that one definitely. And her from high school,
yes. What about the one last month who…uh huh, she’s at the top of
your list for sure.
    What other treats do you get from your close
girlfriendships? We’d love for you to share them with everyone!
Please go to the
    Get Stronger, Girlfriend Facebook page ( https://facebook.com/GetStrongerGirlfriend )
and post on our wall:
    “I just read the Top 10 Treats of Trusty
Girlfriendships and I want to add this treat…”
    Thank you so much for being an active posting
girlfriend on our page! We appreciate and treasure your insights,
and comments.
    ###

_

    Janet Grosshandler is a writer for over 20
years, a former school counselor for almost 30 years, and a
certified life coach. Her girlfriends since 4-years-old, from
elementary school, high school, college and adult years have been
her anchors in keeping sanity and hope alive. And yes, she would
definitely say that at the darkest times of her life, her
girlfriends might even have saved her life.
    *
    Top 10 Treats of Trusty