Dear Large Groups of Girls: I Love/Hate You.

Women are curious creatures.We buy ill-fitting jeans simply because the logo on the back pockets lets all our friends know that we spent $150 on them, and when you compliment our shirt we'll excitedly inform you that we bought it for $7 at Ross. We order extra cheese on our pizza, but salad dressing on the side. We want our partners to do what we want , but we want them to do it because they want to do it.

Basically, we're crazy.

There are some things that can be expected when groups of women gather together, and some of these things drive me crazy.

For starters, there is a collective inability to make decisions that makes Brett Favre look downright resolute. Have you witnessed what goes down when a group of girls tries to decide where to go for dinner? First, 87 options are presented. Then anyone who has heard anything unfavorable about any of the options will share this information, but quickly add a disclaimer that she's still willing to go there if that's what everyone else wants ("I heard that they don't use very high quality meats there, like the chicken breasts are from imprisoned chickens who's dads were never very nice to them, but I can totally just order a salad if that's where you guys want to go") . So now there are still 87 options, but 15 of them have an asterisks next to their name.

Next, the group will consider the logistics of each option: Will there be enough seating, how far is the drive, how does the particular social scene of each restaurant compare with the current energy level of the group, etc. This part of the conversation will take about 20 minutes and will involve everyone talking at the same time. Still, it will just be a time of sharing ideas. None of the 87 options will be ruled out.

Then, as if the Lord has given someone a prophetic vision, one girl will declare above the crowd, "You know what sounds so good?" And she will present an idea that was somehow left out of all the previous discussion. How did we miss this? Why did no one think to suggest this, this most perfect restaurant option that has ever existed in the history of food? The group will collectively oooh and aaah over the perfection of this idea. Yes! That does sound so good! I'm going to order extra cheese on my pizza and my salad dressing on the side! Squeals of laughter will begin to emerge as the decision is somehow reached without anyone ever actually making a decision. Then it's time to figure out who's driving and who's going in which car. God help us.

* * * * * * *

Underneath all the crazy, though, there can be something sacred that emerges when women convene. When you are lucky enough to be with women who are honest about their imperfections, sincere about their desires, diligent in their integrity and earnest in their affection, there can be a feeling that anything is possible. Not in an 87 options for dinner kind of a way, but in a way that feels like you are free to survey the landscape around you, choose a destination that you'd like to reach, and begin blazing a trail to get there.

I am lucky enough to have women like that in my life. Some near, some far, some journeying down paths that closely resemble the path that I walk along, some who are on paths that I can barely relate to. I am a better person because of what happens when I'm with them. I hope that I am contributing something to their lives as well.

And if we ever decide to all get together for dinner, let's just do a pot luck, okay?

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