Girlfriends last forever

My coffee mug...sitting on the counter this morning and I read it like it was for the first time. Matter of fact the first time I read it I thought "aww, that's sweet but THIS guy that I have hanging around right now is gonna be the One". Nope. Of course he wasn't (but that's another post). And of course the girlfriend who gave me the mug was there to help me through it. As were a host of others. I have girlfriends that I've known since I was an awkward teenager, ones that have known me since elementary school, known me married, only as a divorced woman and every version of me in between. These women have watched me grow and change. They've been with me while I was ugly on the inside and on the outside. They've noticed details about me that even the most observant male is likely to miss. I'm not saying there's no room in my life for a man. Im not even saying I don't still believe the perfect one for me exists somewhere. I'm just saying that the sentiment of this mug hits me right in the middle of my heart today. Men HAVE gone. Ones I thought I'd never be without. My girlfriends were there for that. They helped me clean up the mess left from over 20 years. They're still helping me. Men have come into my life and my girlfriends were there to dish over details and put up with my "isn't he greats"?  My girlfriends don't care if I "let myself go" or if I like to wear too many concert t-shirts. They don't care if I don't do the laundry. They will gently remind me if my pack rat tendencies get outta control by saying "hey do you REALLY need that .....blah blah". They remind me of who I am when life and pain have caused me to forget. They buy me cheese and bring Guinness to talk about all the reasons that last one wasn't "the One" when it ended. They love me when I ugly cry and when I'm smiling. They love my kids like their own. They tolerate my cats. They show me patience and consideration. Maybe one day another man will come into my life. Maybe not. One thing I knew for sure.... My girlfriends will still be there.