When it comes from Love...

We gather.

Sometimes over a glass of wine or a flute of champagne. 

Sometimes over a piping hot cup of coffee or a mug of tea.

Sometimes its an impromptu emergency.  One of us has to get out of the house and needs to see our faces and hear our voices.

Other times, it's planned and we all climb in the car and take a trip.

We say, "Fuck," a lot. 

Collectively, we have 17 children between us and well, when it's inappropriate to curse in front of the littles....we yearn to unleash the fury of the four-letter word with our inner circle of girlfriends.

We cry when it's hard and someone is facing something that is uncertain, unfair, or just plain hurts.

But mostly, we laugh especially when "J" graces us with her colorful dialogue....reminding us that most of the time, it's okay to "Focker Out, Bitches."

And so it went last night.  Someone's husband was out of town, so we rallied the troops, the truffles, the red wine, and the morale.

And that's when I learned a powerful lesson....that I just keep ruminating on. 

I've always had this thing I do.  I suppose like a good Catholic, I feel that if overall, I'm doing the right thing for the good of my family and friends that in general, good things will come my way.  Conversely, I harbor irrational fear that if I slip up and don't do the right thing that I'm doomed to have something tragic come down the pike.

Expressing this crazy philosophy with my besties, one friend said, "Nothing bad comes when decisions/choices are made from a place of love."  And it's hard to focus on the negative hypothetical, when even in the midst of semi-regret, you keep your eye on gratitude and the multiple blessings that abound in your life.

And so, at the gym this morning, I thought....it's time to start making decisions that emanate from love and not fear.  Because in the end, we have control over so little and ultimately, bad things will happen regardless of our actions...so, focusing our choices from a place of warmth, kindness, and love can only be a good thing....regardless of the outcome.

Post lots of chocolate noshing and champagne guzzling, I realized on my late night drive home that I am extraordinarily blessed to call these girls friends.  Every last fucking one of them.