Friends

Sometimes in life, tragedy strikes. Other times it's overwhelmingly and indescribably beautiful. And what I've learned again and again is that often it's only through our tragedies and losses that the greatest of life's beauties are able to make themselves manifest.

My life recently met with a tragedy (or was it?) when love was lost and the pain of the reality of separation stung in my throat for a sleepless night or two. Yet calling it a tragedy would mean ignoring a beautiful element of this story. Simultaneous with this experience was an overwhelming outpouring of one of the most beautiful things on this planet: friendship.

Cheesy? Most definitely. So are tea parties and picnics and rolling down giant hills. But I'm not sorry. Such daily acts of childishness with various friends are quickly making this summer one of my life's most memorable.

It's not even that I'm popular. I truly believe that God points his finger down at us during our lower points and says, "That one's going to need some people to plan Bollywood movie parties for." Maybe that one's just me... but you get the idea. And the people appear out of places and times you forgot even existed, and beauty is born of tragedy. It's a pattern I recognize in my life every time I begin to feel sorry for myself. It gives me perspective in what seem like should be the most perspective-less of moments. My deepest thanks to those who are helping me mold this outlook.

OK, but really... who wants to come to Bollywood night?