It is love and friendship, the sanctity and celebration of our relationships, that not only support a good life, but create one. Through friendships, we spark and inspire one another's ambitions.
Do you follow Ann Dee Ellis on Instagram? You should. Her feed is a favorite around here. I'm loving her #8minutememoir series and when Day 21 involved our September book club pick, you bet I was all in. Bonus: a book review (of sorts) in 8 minutes. That's a golden ticket to this time-starved mama.
Ann Dee posted a pic of the quote above from Crossing to Safety with these instructions: "Friendship. Write about a friend who sparks and inspires your ambition and maybe you do the same for them. 8 minutes." Here goes:
I wonder if there's a part of our soul that steps aside and takes a mental snapshot of moments that at the time may seem small or even insignificant, but end up being life-changing. For Larry and Sally Morgan, that moment was a dinner party. For me, it was waving my first hello to Tracy across several lines of people at JFK Airport while a mutual acquaintance shouted introductions. There must have been an inkling that I'd just met a once-in-a-lifetime friend because I remember that moment in vivid detail.
While Tracy and I stayed close in college, we lost touch a little after we both married. Not for long though, we reconnected when our oldest kids were still babes and quickly became each other's lifelines when the never ending demands of child care felt heavy. Like Anna Quindlen, we had our books and each other. We encouraged each other to keep reading, keep writing, even if we only got a few lines in before our heads hit the pillow. Our conversations stimulated creativity on days filled with diaper changes and feedings. She was my Instagram, Snapchat and Pinterest. Those years of reading the same books, searching for the perfect reads for each other, and long discussions brought us here today: to Two at Twenty-Seven. We're glad you've come along for the ride.
*First, 8 minutes goes fast! I'll admit I cheated and added the last two lines after the timer went off. This obviously isn't a typical review, but as Crossing to Safety is a beautiful study of friendship, I hope you'll forgive me. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the book. Or if the mood strikes you, your own #8minutememoir!