The Importance of Having A Tribe.

Do you ever have one of those weeks where you're completely exhausted both emotionally and physically by the end of it? Well that happened to me last week. I was a mess and try as I might I just couldn't internalize it. I was crying a lot and snapping at Mark and just not in a good mood. Then I remembered that I had plans to drive to Phoenixville with my friend Brooke to see some other friends that lived in the area. That morning I all of a sudden felt better! Mark and I talked about things and I apologized for being grumpy that week and Brooke picked me up and we started our day.

On the drive to meet Jessica, Brooke and I talked about married life and how (while it's absolutely wonderful and exciting) it can get lonely at times. Especially when you get married right out of college and then move somewhere new away from family or friends, it can take some getting used to.

Talking about this seriously was like a breath of fresh air, just knowing I'm not alone in feeling that every now + again. There have also been times where I do something that makes someone else feel left out unintentionally and it resonates with me all the more! I want to be intentional about relationships and committed to making sure that my friends and those close to me know they're important and not alone. 

It really got me thinking: we need people. I'm an introvert so there are days where I'll be perfectly content not talking to anyone for hours, but there are other days when I crave community and conversation and laughter. I think everyone does; it’s a part of being human.

Back to our girl's day. We grabbed donuts and coffee from the marketplace in Harrisburg and then headed to Phoenixville. When we got there, we met up with Jessica and had lunch. Seriously, the best salad I've had in a while. Spending a little time catching up with the two of them and talking about what the next couple of months looked like for us was just so refreshing. 

After lunch, we stopped in this little vintage shop downtown. I've seen it a bunch of times and a friend of mine always shops there but whenever I'm in town its been closed. I was really excited to finally be able to go in! It was filled with dresses and shoes and accessories from decades past and gave me that dreamy feeling of nostalgia. 

In Phoenixville, there is a big mural on one of the walls downtown with a map painted on it. Almost overtime someone sees it, they feel compelled to take a photo in front of it and I love that little bit of charm that Phoenixville has! We decided it would be a wasted trip if we didn't get a photo, so we strolled through the rain and snapped a few pictures and then made our way to dinner at a Thai restaurant to meet Hannah, Tori, and Charles. Getting to catch up with the 3 of them was such a joy! 

I just kept thinking all day long how happy I was and how blessed I am that even in the midst of stress and bad days and loneliness I can find this group of loving friends here for me. Honestly, I've been really down lately and it was such a good reminder of the goodness in my life.

Finding a tribe of people who support you and that you can support right back is so important! When you find friends like those, ones that aren't afraid to call you out on the tough stuff and hug you on the bad days, hold on to them. Trust me, losing people really hurts and can it take a long time to heal. This little day in Phoenixville reminded me that it's important to have that "tribe" of friends or family surrounding you (even if they're miles and miles away).

And fun fact, just because I was went to visit friends and spend some quality time with them didn't all of a sudden make my worries and problems and stress disappear. It was all still there, but I felt stronger after spending time with them, almost like I was ready to attack it head on like the adult I know is in me somewhere! Taking time to rejuvenate with people you love is so healthy and important! Find those people and don't let them go.

What does your tribe look like? What blessings in life can you look to and reflect on to get you out of a bad mood, even for just a few minutes?