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If Not for My Girls

Recently Essence Festival launched a panel entitled “If Not For My Girls”, starring Latoya Luckett, Keri Hilson, and Eudoxie Bridges. This panel talked through how important it is to have your girls in your life. How important they are to your growth, change, happiness and experience. There is a Facebook page dedicated to this series.

Essentially, in watching this I instantly connected to it. K. Hilson talked about how her girls was immensely influential in her making changes, not staying in bad relationships and staying in places that no longer serve her. L. Luckett talked about how important it is to be evenly yoked in your friendships, not jut in your romantic relationships. E. Bridges discusses how important it is to have friends who pray for you and support you no matter what you decide.

This got me thinking about who those friends are in my life, how connected I am with my girls and how they have been influential in my life. From support to encouragment. And of course, always there to turn up (or down if necessary).

As I watched I thought to myslef, Why don’t we celebrate our friendships more? In the recent #nationalgirlfriendsday, we posted pictures and quotes about our friendships. I even posted one with #MyTribe. Why not lift up those friendships more?

So I thought of all the things I can add too #IfNotForMyGirls:

  • I wouldn’t have the confidence I do now
  • I would have been feeding people and things that damaged me
  • I would be in relationships that stunt my growth and hide my true self (thank god for that)
  • I would have never taken the leap without their support
  • I wouldn’t laugh as hard as I do
  • I wouldn’t know what true support is, and
  • I would’t know what a true sisterhood is.

Over the years my tribe got smaller. At the same time, the value of my friendships increased. Keeping a small honest group of friends close to me has allowed me to appreciate my friendships more, and allowed me to understand how to be a friend. I guess I was fortunate enough to encounter these women who have shaped my life.

So I ask you to continue the hashtag. Continue lifting up your girls. What would you add to #IfNotForMyGirls?

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