The Bear Bitch’s Project

"Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly."

There are so many clichés about friends being our angels and to be honest, I’d always thought that these silly sayings were invented by mobile phone companies to be forwarded via sms. Sure, they were sweet and all, but I never really gave them much thought – until last Friday.

I’ve always been the type of person who is consumed by whatever emotion/s she is feeling. When I’m happy, every atom of my body is engulfed in happiness, and when I’m frustrated or angry, every follicle of hair nearly vibrates with my frustration. Add onto that the fact that I tend to wear my heart, not only on my sleeve, but stamped on my forehead and printed on the back of my shirt and you end up with quite an intense package in me.

I’ll spare you the gory details and just say that last week; an event came into play that caused me to nearly implode in emotions. And I, being that battling-ram that I am, had the knee-jerk reaction to pick up my sword and charge head on to shout my woes from the hilltop to the other camp and anyone that would listen. But just before I set foot on the battlefield, one of my best friends appeared at my elbow (figuratively, of course, since my 2 best friends and I are in 3 different countries) to discuss the battle plan. She didn’t criticize it, in fact she even called it ingenious, but the more we talked about it, the more I came to realize the faults in my plan. The more we talked, the more she made me see (intentionally or otherwise) that aside from the instant gratification of catharsis, of the relief resulting from unleashing the pent up wrath, thoughts, and emotions, and relieving myself of the weight on my chest, there is really no significant benefit to be gained. Telling “the other camp” how I feel won’t change the situation. If anything, the verbal diarrhea, that I am quite predisposed to having, will only cost me a measure from my already dwindling store of pride and replace it with a combination of frustration and shame.

So with words of wisdom swimming in my head, I returned my sword to its sheath and mustered up as honorable a retreat as I could.

Thinking back on it, she acted, not so much as the second in command or right-hand man that discusses strategy with the leader; rather as a guardian angel. She didn’t flat out tell me that what I had planned to do is wrong or grab me by my shoulders and turn me to face the other direction. She made me realize it on my own accord and that’s (what I believe) Guardian Angels do. They guide. They don’t shove you in the right direction or block the other paths so that you have no choice but to go on the right one. They very discreetly hint at what’s right but allow you to both realize it on your own and choose to do so, on your own.

Does that mean I’ll never go to battle again? Hell no! Not with this personality. The war is far from over. I’m a firm believer of following my heart and fighting for what I believe in. I guess what my “angel” taught me is to pick my battles. Not every abrasion merits a world war, so don’t loose half your army over a possible misunderstanding. If its life and death, then by all means, go for it, but if it’s just a little friction then restraint may possibly be the better option.

Those sayings about friends being angels may be super cliché and ultra “gas-gas”, but they’re true. I now know that I wasn’t blessed with just one guardian angel (who is doing a fabulous job, by the way), I have many angels, both celestial and otherwise.

You know who you are. Thanks! <hug>

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Papermate: Ingenuity Liquid Graphite Pen - Okay, the reviews about this aren’t that great and an office-mate (or 3) refuses to use it but I love it. It won’t write so well when you first get it but the more you use it the darker and smoother it will write.

Market Pantry: Apple Cranberry Trail Mix Bars - These are the greatest things since sliced bread (and speaking of sliced bread, try Safeway’s Texas Toast. Simply mah-velous!) Not only do they taste fabulous, they’re the cheapest, they have the least sodium and they aren’t as sweet as the other granola bars. I go through a box of these a week. Available at Target.

Crest: Whitening Expressions Cinnamon Toothpaste - Yum, yum, yum! Cinnamon is great but vanilla is gross. It tastes like brushing your teeth with a tic-tac. Ew.

Neutrogena: Instant Nail Enhancer - Get the look of polished nails without having to mess with nail polish removers after. It delivers nutrients to your nails and dries instantly. What more could you ask for?