We’ve all heard of the list of girlfriends every woman should have or needs in their life. But what about the friends that every woman actually has?
It’s no wonder that people say women’s friendships are complicated. We are a multifaceted group that tends to stick together through thick and thin, as well as thinner and thinnest.
Sometimes our group of girlfriends can look like the cast of The Usual Suspects leaving our husbands and others wondering about our ability to adult. But what they don’t know is that each of these friends teach us something about ourselves and make our lives the kaleidoscope that remains. The following is just the tip of the good, the bad, and the ugly that is our friend’s list.
The Therapist
This girlfriend is a life saver. She’s been with you for a while so she’s able to call you out on all your crap and help you see the underlying issues you’re constantly stuffing under the rug. Because you’re friends you don’t have to schedule an appointment and nothing is too big or small to discuss. You’ll call her after a fight with your husband or if the lady at the check-out accidentally called you sir. This friend shows you that you have real friends that care and know how to tell you the truth.
The Enigma
This girlfriend is a mystery to you. She says she’s the executive administrator over the acquisitions department yet she is able to meet you for ice cream on a Wednesday at two o’clock. She says she just got back from a vacation to the Galapagos Islands but you’ll never see the pictures. Does she really work for the CIA? Is she a ninja? You’re not sure. You’ll never question her about the details and assume she lies about most of her personal life, but, hey, somehow she’s still a good friend. This friend shows you that you really have set the bar low for friendship.
The Friend Your Other Friends Don’t Like
This person is your friend even though none of your other friends like her. Is she moody? Yes. Negative? Always. Rude? Mostly. But you’ve known this friend for a long time and you’re a very loyal person. Even though at her best she is tolerable, you’re not giving up on her yet. This friend shows you that you really do have a big heart. It also makes you flex your ability to set boundaries and boundaries are good, right?
The Frenemy
At one time you guys were really good friends but somewhere between the back-handed compliments and overly used xoxoxo’s you’ve begun to question the authenticity of your friendship. At this point you assume she talks about you behind your back to all of her other girlfriends, but you still maintain diplomacies in public. This friend makes you appreciate your true friends and also reminds you to be careful who you share things with.
The Sister Friend
This friend can be your actual sister or just feels like your sister. Maybe it’s the way you can fight and make-up two minutes later or that you’ve been there for each other through all of life’s major moments, but you know this friendship is till death-do-you-part. This friend shows you that family and friendship go hand and hand.
The Criminal
This is pretty self-explanatory. This friend is always involved in criminal activity. In her teenage years she was caught shoplifting and in her twenties she had at least 2 DUI’s or a hit and run (but no one was injured). She is in a perpetual state of losing her driver’s license or driving without insurance or heading to court about one or the other. She’s had more speeding tickets than you can count and you’ve had to personally post bail money for her in the past. But you don’t kick your friends when they’re down, so you’ve maintained the friendship. You look forward to the day that she gets her life together and are rooting for her every step of the way. This friend gives you the chance to act as a therapist and makes you feel good about your own life choices.
The Childhood Friend
This friend has been there from the beginning. You guys love to reminiscence about all your bad hairstyles and old boyfriends. You often run into each other at the grocery store or county fair, but when you do it’s just like old times. Every time you see each other you exchange numbers and promise to get together for dinner and you don’t, but you know your hearts are in the right place. This girlfriend reminds you of your childhood and the times when you were all wild and free.
