Thoughts Over Morning Coffee

Life is Tough. I recommend getting a manicure and a really cute helmet. 

That is what my coffee mug reminded me of this morning. The sentiment is from Leigh Stanley, the creator of Curly Girl Designs. Her artwork and words wrap my mug. On the other side from the main artwork is a smaller phrase: Live imperfectly with great delight.

This coffee mug was my college graduation present to myself. I got a Curly Girl Designs mug for each of my roommates too, a different design for each of the residents of 703 Spring Road. I chose designs that I thought matched each of my roommates best, but I also hoped they would remain a small reminder of our friendships for many years to come. 

I still use mine, 11 years later. Only one of my old roommates is still one of my best friends today, and I know she still uses her mug too. I don’t know about the other girls I lived with. We’ve drifted and lost touch over the years. Though, if any of them asked me, I’d still be there in a heartbeat for any one of them. Not every friendship is meant to last a lifetime, but living with those girls on Spring Road for those two years saved me. I will always be grateful for the time spent when our lives were intertwined. 

College was the most challenging time in my life to date. I spent my freshman year slowly drifting away from some of the most important things that made me, well, me. My sophomore year was spent relatively numb to the world while I desperately tried to hang on to the dregs of myself. And then, for my junior and senior years, I moved into the Spring Road House with a few girls I knew and a few girls I didn’t. In those two years, living with them helped me rebuild my life. They were there for every moment, good and bad, ugly and messy. When it was time to move out, I knew I had the confidence to face whatever the world had ahead. 

There were certainly more people who helped me create meaning in my world again. But, I don’t know how much that would have mattered if I didn’t also get to come home every day to all people who loved me and supported me unconditionally. We were all so different, but for two years I was constantly in the company of strong, confident young women. It changed my life, and I know I am a better person through each of their friendships, even those that have faded with time. 

So, every morning that I know I’ll need a little extra to tackle the day ahead, I reach for my Curly Girl coffee mug. Every time I use it, I think of my college roommates with every sip I take. I spend at least a few minutes remembering my time on Spring Road, and I know I’ve got this. Thinking of them is a comforting reminder that I’m strong enough for anything. 

And really, life is tough. So much of what happens falls outside of our control. It’s messy and imperfect, and all we do control is how we face each day. But to me, the flaws and failures along the way are the best part. It’s in those moments that we find out who we are.