Best Friends Birthday Retreat
When was the last time you laughed until you thought you were going to pee your pants? Or cried in front of others and then felt their arm’s pull you in as they embraced you with a hug and shared tears? Or went deep discussing the things most avoid like politics and religion? When was the last time you shared your insecurities and fears as well as your wildest dreams?
It felt so good to do that with my two best friends. We did a 3 night get-away to quiet and quaint, Gig Harbor in Washington and stayed at the most amazing Air B&B called Eagle’s Lookout Lodge. Something about being alone together out in the trees with no kids, gave us the permission to just be ourselves and relax.
We didn’t put on makeup. We stayed in our pajamas for hours. We made each other coffee in the morning and hot cocoa at night. We spent real quality time catching up together and also time alone to just hear the birds.
There’s something so healing about silence and just the sound of birds!
It is something I had always hoped we could do as three busy working wives and moms. But when? I decided our 40th birthday year was when. I took the chance to ask and used birthdays as the excuse and had them book it in advance to make sure we paid and were committed so even though when we got way too busy (which pretty much feels like always), we would still have to go. And go we did and glad we did!
It was the first time one of us was away from the kid and she forgot what it was like to not have someone calling her name, hanging on her leg, seeing stuff that needed to be cleaned up, and could actually just take a long shower alone. Ahhh the simple things moms crave to refresh and renew.
And not only that, but this very special time gave us the space to reflect on our thirties together and share our prayers and our intentions for the next decade. I think there’s a lot of power and healing in taking the time to stop and feel it all. Gratitude for the past, hope for the future, and being in a tranquil place like this for peace in the present.
Thank you to my best friends, Traci and Noe, for this birthday retreat! It was one of the most absolute best times I’ve had in a really long time. It was everything we needed and more!
finding peace by piece
Keeping working on those relationship and friendships where you can really be yourself. Everyone deserves to have a best friend or two. Make plans to spend quality time you need to be together and to help each other be well for yourself so you can be well for others you love.
