random days

it's the season...the fasting in the Coptic Orthodox Church has caused for all events to be put during non-fasting periods. In some years, the non-fasting days are limited...however this year, we are only fasting for 52% of the year...not bad. However it's the month of May and already I've been at so many grad, birthday, baby and bridal showers and the engagements and weddings are yet to come. Since everyone in the Coptic community somehow knows each other and if you speak for more than an hour you'll find that you are related from the 18th century....however these gatherings while I'm very excited for the person we celebrate, it's mentally exhausting.

Most of my friends are married and some of them have kids. We attend many of the same functions. After I get the whole 'ou2balik' and that i have to 'wait on the Lord' speech that an amazing guy is going to drop from the sky hopefully by age 40, I'm stuck hearing conversations that are not exactly inviting to the single person. I hear complaints about husbands, about the latest home project and the latest thing to do as a couple. If my friends have kids...I get to hear all about diaper rash, what the kids are allergic to and all other sorts of things. I sit there normally in silence...I don't have anything to contribute to the conversation. I remember one event I attended--I sat in a corner alone eating the delicious catered meal at a kids bday party....then the married people decided to come keep me company, only to speak about their honeymoons...yah ok. I felt invisible and praying to God that the conversation would end soon. Yah I love to travel and even I subscribe to travel and leisure magazine, but this was too much. Point being...there's more to life then just hearing about your married life and kids. Yes I love your kids and actually playing with the kids is more fun than the adult conversations that make me nauseous...I always leave remembering what bonded our friendship before life changed and I still hold onto that bond. I'm a little more selective in what events I attend. I like to have a good time and enjoy great conversations with people.

So there are those random days, the unplanned days where you end up going out with a bunch of girlfriends for a simple starbucks run. Those are the best. Simply because you talk about everything under the sun, bare your soul and come out feeling like a normal human being. You don't feel invisible like at the functions before because you don't belong to the married with kids world...People ask what is going on in your life and you would be surprised at how much people struggle, or listen to them about their latest victory choosing a new hobby. It's normal. It's those conversations you wish others would stop for one minute to just ask what is going on in your life instead of ranting about how your husband can't seem to get the point of leaving the toliet seat down (he's a man, not a dog). it's those conversations and heart to heart conversations that can make a difference in a person's day/week/month. I don't ask for much, but I do ask for just for those to be cognizant that not everyone around them is living in the same type of life. Just as I am subjected to listening to conversations about your crazy married world (w or without kids) I would hope that you could step out of your world for just five minutes to see how others are doing. I know that I may seem harsh...but I still love all my married friends...we are bonded in friendship for a reason.
So here is for random days, for random times to my girlfriends who take the time out to make sure that we are still sane, give an outlet to vent and just enjoy the laughter that is harder to find these days. God bless +