Wo-Mance

In a world that gave us Bennifer, Brangelina and Bromance, I feel practically entitled to this new emerging concept: Wo-mance is my new ‘It’ thing.

Being a younger sister who grew up with three big brothers, I have had my fair share of men in my life. The torturous tot years where we hated each other, pummeled on each other and spent our time avoiding each other. Then the gawky years where I idealized them and lived in awe that they allowed me within 10 feet of them, and, more specifically, of their friends. The fun filled 20’s where they were my buddies, my partners in crime (or minor misdemeanors at any rate) and my party peeps… And now the adult years where they are my nearest and dearest – I absolutely love brother world, and therefore by default, boy world. I have always been able to relate to boys, fall in step with them, find my place around them and own it.

Now, at 33, married and mother of two cats and a very pretty stone (see it here), I find myself in a new space. A space that emphasizes the importance of the women in my life, and the growing romance I seem to have with finding new ones.

In the past I have been guilty of feeling that girls were a nuisance and that boys were just so much better, easier to get along with. Of course, I was blissfully unaware of that whole non-platonic thing and so never once thought that a guy was just being nice to me to get into my pants…(poor proverbial guy, never succeeded! Hah!)

But I was so wrong. Women are MUCH better friends than men! It’s just a matter of finding the right girl friend, Mrs. Right, if you will. Just watch any episode of Sex and The City, or a modern equivalent, and you will see it. A girl needs a girl in her life. For so many reasons. For example, things happen to our bodies along the way (much more than guys) from about age 12 to death…it’s a scary process and can be extremely embarrassing/worrying/daunting when you don’t have someone else going through the same thing to talk to. Girls understand things like mascara and choosing the right brand of cotton buds. Girls know about parabens. Girls know what you mean when you face the wardrobe and declare war on yourself. Girls can talk about the inner workings of baby making long after men have served their purpose and are no longer interested, or, lets face it, useful.

And girls get SHOES!

A girl needs, at the very least, that one confidant, the closest, bested friend in the world, who she can spill all her beans to and still be loved. Yes, Husband is my best friend, but there are times when I need to talk about Husband to someone other than Husband…Enter best female friend! Enter Wo-mance.

I say this is a new thing, which isn’t completely true. I have not been a stranger to a bit of lady love in my time. I have always listened to mostly female fronted music, look up to a variety of strong women as role models, mostly read books that have female protagonists, idealize beauty icons and enjoy a private fantasy that involves me as the mother of dragons…

I have a core bff who has been with me from the start (The Big Red Hen), a wonderful little sister who brings me all kinds of delight (Kitten of Discord), a 'wife' as it were (my current co-conspirator in work and coffee on a daily basis) and some fabulous crazy beautiful friends who I picked up along the way who have stood the test of time. But lately, I have found that I am collecting new friends of the fairer sex. More and more!

All these women I am wo-mancing! It almost feels like I am dating again, going through the whole ‘will he call me?’ ‘Does he like me too’, ‘Should I invite him?’…only replace that pronoun with ‘she’ and ‘her’. I have found myself investing time and energy in these lovely ladies, carefully orchestrating invitations or accepting offers just so that I can get to know them better. ‘Tis Wo-mance. An exciting space. Very rewarding. With lots of pretty people to have cocktails with.

And lets face it, you can’t go over to your best guy friends house to borrow a gorgeous dress. Ever. Girls rock!

Love, lust and fairy-star-dust
Cherry Blossom