Galentine’s Day has never meant quite so much to me than it has this year. 

I mean, It’s been quite a year for friendship hasn’t it? 

Being a friend to my dearest friends (I call them my home team) has been the highlight of my year— also one of the harder parts of my year. It has been hard to sit in my own darkness and seasonal depressions and still show up for my friends. But it has been equally necessary. 

Whether it be miscarriage, having another kiddo, enjoying singleness during the pandemic, dating during the pandemic, having marital arguments that bring us low and hurt us deep, having physical health crisis’, or enduring short or painfully long seasons of depression…  showing up on their phone screens has been a priority. 

If you’re the praying kind, I’ve learned the best response to my friends is the sacred act of praying that God would meet them in their hurt and care for them in ways only He knows how. Not “I’ll pray for you’s”, but immediate out loud prayers— affirming who they were created to be and asking God to remind them of His presence and the gifting and purpose He’s given them. 

Also sending virtual hugs or hand squeezes feels so necessary right now. Really asking them to close their eyes and imagine us hugging. 

In some ways, I feel very lucky to have just moved to New York City before the pandemic, because I was already planning on keeping up with my home team via Marco Polo or Facetime. That decision sort of naturally became a lifeline and part of my every day life and unlike others, it wasn’t something I felt surprised at transitioning to. 

The pandemic has has made me rethink how I view friendship entirely. I used to think I needed to find all my close friends right in front of me, in my city, next door. I would be disappointed when it would take a year or two to find people I love. While I think there is value to creating friendships in the places we find ourselves, I am seeing that it’s okay to hold onto those kindred friendships I’ve made along the way. 

This year, I’m celebrating some of the women I’ve walked closest with by sending them a note of encouragement and this heart garland via snailmail. The question I tried to answer in my note to them is “What am I praying for this person this year?” and “What have I seen in them that I love?” 

Maybe these are questions your friends need to hear the answers to as well? 

P.S. For my outfit, I just cut out a bunch of felt hearts and hot glued them to a top I was getting rid of. I got this idea from Color Me Courtney! She glued a bunch of feaux flowers to her dress last week and immediately I was like, I HAVE to do this for  Galentine’s Day! 

P.P.S For the heart garlands I’m sending my gals, I cut out a bunch of felt heart, then sewed them together vertically with my sewing machine. An easy, but really fun and pretty piece of decor they hang somewhere in their home or car!