I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that this “adulting” thing is much heavier than I imagined it would be when I was younger. I was one of those kids who could not WAIT to grow up! The older I’ve become, the more certain I am that I would without a doubt give my younger self a swift kick in the ass.

I have a close group of college friends who have been through two plus decades of adulting with me. We have walked hand in hand through the greatest of elated celebrations and the lowest of scary hardships. They make the heavy feel less crushing and the hope more hopeful. They are the exclamation points of my life and I am thankful to my core for them!

My late father-in-law lived by the mantra that “All you have at the end of your life are the relationships you’ve built.” He couldn’t have been more right, which is why I have always and will always ensure that the biggest investments in my life are in those relationships that mean the most. This group is that for me… a lifelong priority. Here’s to all the strong relationships out there that make life even sweeter!