Sunday, February 8, 2015

Hanabata Days








Jacket: Nike; Top: Gap; Jeans: Gap (on sale!); Boots: c/o Lulu*s (same here)

I caught up with a very old friend tonight - one I've known since the hanabata days, Hawaii slang for childhood (the Japanese translation basically means "booger days," which is gross but pretty accurate) - over drinks and dinner. We met in elementary school and from the age of six have been through friendship ups and downs, middle school and high school carpooling, cross-country moves, and we are still friends to this day. This year will mark about 20 years of friendship (not without many a difficulty, reconciliation, and change in hairstyle) and there's something kind of amazing about knowing someone that long. There are very few people in my life, other than my immediate family, that I've known since I was wearing homemade dresses and riding the school bus, vying for a seat amongst the bullies.

We talked tonight about many things - our parents, our fights, our elementary through high school tormenters, our lives in the past three years that we've gone without seeing each other. One theme rang true from the entire evening and it was how much of our childhoods were based off of envy and jealousy for what the other one had. She shared that she had always been envious of my Samantha doll and I shared I'd always been envious of her brand name cereals (Apple Jacks!). She'd always loved the way my house smelled and looked and I'd always been jealous of the way her parents let her do what she wanted (and she had her own room!). Together we shared how mortified we were of our parents' cars, the fact that we carpooled, that we didn't grow up with much money.

How I wish I could go back in time and tell myself to chill out. To stop being embarrassed that my dad had grey hair (seriously, high schoolers will worry about the most idiotic things), or an older pick-up truck, or that my parents didn't buy Pop-Tarts or Apple Jacks for me. I wish I could go back in time and tell my friend that she needn't be jealous of my Samantha doll because she will turn out to be a really awesome person with a great job, a great boyfriend, and a life that's going places fast. But I suppose that's what growing up is about, learning what is and isn't valuable to spend our time thinking about.

I could certainly still use to take a lesson from this visit, that the envy or worry or embarrassment that we all inevitably feel about our money/job/career/home/looks/direction isn't worth it. If you're happy and surrounded by people that you love, that's about all that matters.

12 comments

  1. those shoes are beautiful!!!!!

    have a nice day ❤️

    THE CIHC

    ReplyDelete
  2. Such a cute look...love that striped top and your jeans!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Loving these casual vibes! XO

    Anna
    alilyloveaffair.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a chic look! love your braid!

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is such a chic and classic look - relaxed but elegant at the same time.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I really enjoyed the sentiment of this post. If we could go back and tell our younger selves things, wouldn't that be great! I have often thought that, but to be honest, I know my teenage self wouldn't have listened. N o b o d y understood me, (or at least that's what my fifteen year old self thought).


    On another note, I am glad that you have reconciled with this friend, and am impressed that you can be honest about the ups and downs. I had a break up with a friends a few years ago (I choose the term break up, because that's what it felt like), and I struggles with being honest about it. Was it my fault? Did it matter whose fault it was? Could it ever be come back from?


    At the time I was looking for guidance, not from friends picking sides, but from the experts. I read a book about how women feed themselves the great myth of female friendship lasting forever, and put pressure on ourselves to hold platonic relationships with other women together for fear that we will be viewed negatively if we cannot make it last. The author of the book pled with her readers to let go of relationships that no longer serve them. The book was enlightening, and did help me heal, but ultimately I was pulled back to my friend, and we too have reconciled.


    Now I look at female friendship break-ups with a different lens, and embrace the fact that while there may be ups and downs along the way, your long term friends are most likely going to stay that way for the long term.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Really love the casual look, the jeans are great and even better since they are now on sale

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love this post. Catching up with old friends is amazing. It gives you a sense of refresh and makes you realize things you took for granted. I loved reading this one!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Would have never guess that jacket is Nike! Such a lovely casual look. I also spent this weekend catching up with one of my oldest friends. PS: Your makeup looks super pretty!

    xx Jess | The Miuse

    ReplyDelete
  10. There is nothing better than old childhood friends as those are friendships that will last a life time through ups and downs. I still have one friends with whom I go back to Kindergarten - we only see each other every few yard, live on totally opposite ends of the globe but always are able to reconnect. Oh, and I guess we will be in a lot of trouble when our kids reach high school as my grey hair is already showing now ;)

    ReplyDelete

© kelsey malieMaira Gall