Kool-Aid changed my life

Socializing Shoes

There is something to be said about having down time with great friends.  Whether it is over a cup of coffee, a glass of wine, good food or just some sodas and munchies.  Spending time with people that love and accept you for you - and for that reason allow you to be yourself with no pressure.  To just...truly relax and enjoy.

There have been very few moments in my life where I have opened myself up to let people in - mainly because I paid the price for it in the past and I was always the one that ended up with the short end of the stick.  So I have been guarded most of my adult life to say the least.

About 10 years ago I thought I met true friends.  I made the decision to open myself up to them.  But what I ultimately discovered was that they were not true friends.  When I made the decision to better myself - to begin training in the martial arts, to stop drinking, to eventually quit smoking - they did not have my back or support my decisions.  I slowly found myself pulling away from them - as I was not interested in the lifestyle that they were leading - that I had made the decision to make me a better me.  And with that choice, I found that it included shedding them from my life as well.

Finally succumbing to drinking the martial arts kool-aid, after watching my daughter train for a few months, has led me down an incredible journey.  A journey where I put myself and my well-being at the top of my list and not on line 154 of my to do list.  Now this doesn't mean that all those around me are second, third, etc. - it just means that I made the conscious choice to make sure I also took the time to take care of me.

But there was something just as precious to me which came from the martial arts.  My friends, my sisters that I met.  Four amazing women who I admire for different reasons.

There is the woman that convinced me to begin training - the one that made me see that I needed this.  She is someone that I look upon with admiration for everything that she has been through and for the incredible mother that she is.  She has a gift for words and I love to hear how she puts something into perspective.  She is the woman that can look at me and see into my soul.

There is the woman that will refer to herself as a princess - and she deserves to be treated as such.  I admire her for the difference she makes in young peoples lives each day.  The compassion she feels for these children who have come from incredibly diverse but heartbreaking situations.  The desire and determination she has to help them adjust to this strange environment they are in and to show them that they are no different than any other teenager.

There is the woman that has a sparkle in her eye when she smiles.  I look at her and am inspired at her gift for patience and her love for those around her.  She is a dedicated employee - but more importantly a dedicated mother and wife.  She is appreciated by many - and I feel sorry for someone who doesn't see how truly special she is.  I have to say I also admire her for her latin following and her salsa shaking body.

There is the woman that I sometimes think we operate on the same brain and giggle when we finish one another's thoughts.  She is someone that I admire for her strength - and not just physical strength (but I will say she can kick some ass).  She has a carefree but responsible spirit about her.  She has a devilish grin and I can't help but grin when I see her.  She is someone that has not only helped me grow as an individual but also as a martial artist.

Four women.  All with incredible gifts and talents.

Four women.  Who all share a similar bond.

Four women.  Who have all changed my life for the better.

Four women.  Who will forever be my friends and sisters.

"When sisters stand shoulder to shoulder, who stands a chance against us?"

Pam Brown