We’re Not Just Surviving
Well, it’s the second week of November, and I think N and I are finally starting to figure some things out.
We’ve had some pretty bumpy patches over the last several weeks. Living together has definitely been an adjustment, and let’s face it, neither one of us is without flaws.
I have my moments. Princess S definitely has her moments. 😂 I can be a little particular about how I like things, and let’s just say I do have certain expectations. N has had to get used to my particular brand of crazy, which is really just me being a princess sometimes. And I’ve had to get used to hers.
But we’re getting there. She’s becoming a little less impatient with me, I’m getting more accustomed to her, and we’re both learning to give each other a little more grace.
There’s also something to be said for two women of roughly the same age developing a certain shorthand with each other. Sometimes you don’t need the whole explanation. You just pick up what the other one is putting down. And sometimes you don’t. That’s when we have to back up and try again.
Tonight, we were in the great room talking and laughing, and somehow the conversation turned to how tired we both are of surviving. Just constantly dealing with one thing after another, figuring things out, and doing what we have to do because, well, what other choice is there?
And I told her, “Honey, we’re not just surviving. There are times we’re thriving.”
I mean, look at my home. I worked at Delta for a long time, stayed employed, and eventually got my life to a place where I could buy a home of my own. That’s something to be proud of. And because I stayed at Delta as long as I did, I met her.
We talked about that for a while, and somewhere in that conversation we started realizing that maybe we’ve both been looking at our living situation from different directions, but we’re actually ending up in the same place.
And then it was almost a matter of, well, duh!
Why don’t we just live together part-time?
N has wanted to live in a small town since she was TEN YEARS OLD. I honestly didn’t know she’d felt that way for so long. She’s never really wanted to live in the city, and that was something new for me to learn.
So why shouldn’t she find herself a place in a small town and finally have the kind of life she’s wanted, while keeping her room here with me?
She’ll have two homes. She’ll contribute financially, have her familiar space here, and be able to come back whenever she needs to be in the Cities.
And I’ll have my home, my space, and a little more independence.
Honestly, I’m perfectly happy with that arrangement. I don’t need her to give up her small-town dream, and she doesn’t have to give up having a home here.
The really nice part of tonight was seeing N laughing again. She’d been feeling so hopeless and upset last night, and tonight we were just having such a good time together.
As much as she can drive me crazy (and I’m sure she’d say the same about me), this woman is incredibly strong.
And apparently, we’re also getting pretty good at figuring each other out. It only took a few bumpy patches and a whole lot of conversation to get here.
Not bad for two women who occasionally drive each other nuts. 😂
