This ones for the girls...

For those of you who have known me awhile now... you are probably aware that for most of my life I detested women. At one point I actually taught workshops on how to become a recovering women hater... "How to Make the Transition from Competition to Companionship" It has been awhile since I really took stock of my chick friends and thought about where they fit in my life now and how that could change in the future. I have grouped them together to help me sort. I have to sort them by position to me as I have friends from all walks of life, personality, economic level, style and profession. It never ceases to amaze me what God was able to do in my life and my heart where women are concerned.

We'll start with my peeps. These are the chicks that wave when they see me, laugh at my jokes, remember to invite me to girly events and generally don't pretend not to see me when we meet in public. Thank you for your contribution to my existence and I sincerely hope to see some of you break out into a higher level group over the next year!

Now we move on to my circle. You are the women that I chit chat with, table talk at Bible study with and generally hope to have over or meet for lunch so you can laugh at my jokes and answer my "dare I trust them" questions. This circle sometimes feels like a merry go round to me as the players seem to rotate and I know they are interviewing me as well... and many times I don't make the cut. Thank you for being honest or at least honest enough to reveal your fakeness so we can both move on (depending...) and if you and I don't continue to hang, it's probably my fault not yours (or at least that is what you should tell yourself so you don't get a complex).

Here's where it gets serious... the shell. You are the women that not only like me you protect me. We have completed our interviews and received a stamp of approval from each other to give each other encouragement, advice and you are allowed to laugh at my jokes or occasionally make some about you for my entertainment. You are like the candy coating of my life making it sweet and simultaneously keeping me from melting (which if you have reached this level with me you know that I don't like mushy stuff especially in public and so this is a very important position).

If you are part of my core... you know it. You know it because I have alerted you to the responsibilities that come with it (and the possible consequences of you ever betraying me). You know and understand what I am really made of and why everybody else doesn't. You are no longer required to laugh at my jokes (although you do anyway because you find me hilarious) and you have taken vows to be honest, faithful and the biggie LOYAL. You have a strong belief in truth, justice, and karaoke as well as a healthy fear of me being "really honest with you". To these I give my opinion, my trust, genuine affection (which we don't talk about) and loyalty (and honey, you can't buy that!) I don't need to say anymore to you because I tell you all the time how much you mean to me.

As for the men in my life... don't you feel better just reading this? Due to an accident of gender you just naturally fall into my life under the "innocent until proven guilty" clause! Some guys have all the luck! LOL