The Girlfriend Guide: Jolie

Good morning!  Today is Tuesday which means it's time for another edition of the
Girlfriend Guide!  This week, I am so pleased to introduce you to one of my oldest
friends in the whole wide world: Jolie.  I have known this beautiful woman for most of
my life as we both grew up in the same little town by the bayou, our homes only a mile
apart.  Our friendship really blossomed in high school, one fateful day at dance practice.
Jolie tells the story best: "It wasn’t until we came to know each other on danceline that
we became really close friends.  As Liv was my superior on the dance team, I’ll never
forget the day she walked up to me, took both of my hands into hers, and asked me if she
had any friends.  I was pretty confused, until she turned her head toward the ceiling
 and flared up her nostrils, inviting me to inspect her nose for boogers.  It was love from
that moment on, and the rest is history!".  Jolie is a traveling gypsy and has spent the
last 10 years working, going to school, and hitting the open road all across the country.
She is currently weeks away from obtaining her Master's degree in Environment
and Community at Antioch University in Seattle, WA.  Her dreams of changing the
world and saving our planet are truly becoming a reality as she has devoted her
life to educating and motivating people toward sustainable living.  She is one of the
 most passionate people I have ever known and is one of those people who actually
make a difference, both in my life personally and in the world as a whole.  She has
promised me that as soon as she graduates, she will start her own blog where she can
teach all of us how to be truly environmentally friendly.  Until then, sit back, grab a cup
of tea, and enjoy my sweet Jolie's insight!

1.  What is your personal definition of friendship?

“We cannot really love anybody with whom we never laugh.”  
-Agnes Repplier

For me, friendship is the ability to have comfortable silence and to share many
different experiences with a person.  I am so lucky to have a core group of really special
ladies that are open-minded, fun, and pioneers in the big world! I appreciate a woman
who isn’t afraid to stand up for herself, has a sense of humor, and also knows how to
 listen and share experiences, emotions, and insights.

2.  What qualities do you look for in a girlfriend?

“A laugh is a smile that bursts.”  -Mary H. Waldrip

My girlfriends know how to have fun and make the best of any situation, and are 

incredibly supportive of my decisions.  For several years now I’ve lived far away from 

many of my closest friends, and while it’s not easy being apart, I feel like we’ve been

 able to strike a balance and maintain a sincere connection.  We have to be able to 

pick up where we left off, and remain a part of each others lives even when times are

 tough or we live in different places.  My ladies also tend to be brave, creative, quirky, 

and have laughter-fests!  Most of my friends also have an appreciation for outdoors 

and the earth, and I think this is what gives us our edge on appreciation and awareness, 

as well as an external venue for connection and bonding.

 

3.  How do you balance spending time with friends and fostering
 relationships with work and family?

“Laughter is the closest distance between two people.” 
–Victor Borge

I like mixing it up! Nothing satisfies me more than bringing different worlds 

together and establishing new connections between my different friends and family.  

Many of my closest friends have met my family members!  As far as work, I am 

a student right now so my work tends to be a bit solitary, but finding the balance is 

listening to yourself and knowing when it’s time to let it go and stir the social pot!

4.  What advice would you give other women about having healthy, 
happy friendships?

“Always laugh when you can.  It is cheap medicine.” –Lord Byron

Laugh, love, and you gotta give back!  Accept your friends for who they are, not who 

you wish they would be.  Be available and supportive, and give advice only when 

asked (unless the situation REALLY calls for it).  Also, accept that you were meant 

to be together, so be sure to get out and do the things that help you appreciate life 

and made you realize you had a special bond with your friend.

5.  How has having strong friendships enriched your life?

“He who laughs, lasts!” –Mary Pettibone Poole

Having such strong friendships with so many amazing women has given me a 

solid foundation for my life.  No matter how far apart we are, I can always be sure that 

I can give one of my ladies a ring and spill my soul or just catch up with a laughter 

session.  My friends have given me the self-assurance and support to become 

empowered and seek out the life that is most fulfilling for me.  I could never thank 

them enough for that : )

6.  What is your favorite girlfriend memory we have shared?

“She laughs at my dreams, but I dream about her laughter.” 
–The Click Five

Oh goodness, there are so many!  I think one really great time was when I was 

able to convince Liv to come with me to a park and take off her top and let me 

photograph her preggo belly in black and white. Another good one was when we spent 

the day at my parents’ peach orchard, watched the men work on the house, and took 

a nice bike ride.  Once, Liv jumped up on a stage and sang “Romeo and Juliet,” but 

changed the words to “Jolie.”  The first time I got to hold each of her children…

Seriously, there have been countless amazing, unforgettable moments!

 

Girlfriends like Jolie:

Girlfriends like Jolie are like family.  They welcome you into their lives not just
when they need someone to hang out with, they give you their whole heart and soul.
She motivates and inspire me to dream big and live out loud.  She is encouraging and
thought provoking, always able to help me go the extra mile.  She has been there
for me through every important phase of my life and allowed me to be there for her.
She is the kind of woman who makes things happen, sets goals for herself and doesn't
stop until they are done.  Our Type A personalities have always connected and allowed
us to make big things happen.  I am such a blessed woman to have a friend like you,
Jolie.  Our history is long and deep and lies uncharted before us.  From our young
hippie girl days, running full speed through high school and beyond, to now living
out our dreams as grown women, we have seen each other through.  I look forward
to celebrating many more milestones, adding to our collective family, and enjoying
everything this incredible life has to offer!

*You may have noticed another beautiful soul in some of the pictures above: Jolie is
a package deal.  I hit the BFF jackpot when I became best friends with two sisters!  It
is hard to tell Jolie's story without interweaving her sister, my other best friend, Jessica,
 into the tale.  But, come back next week and you'll get to meet this special spirit, too...