Women share a roller-coaster relationship with other women. Sisterhood when it’s good, frenemies when it’s not. It usually revolves around eating together or not. In grade school and junior high and even in high school, your friends are the girls you sit with at lunchtime. Conversations and secrets are exchanged, laughter and tears shared, this bonds us, even though the food might be a lowly soggy sandwich. Fighting and gossip happen during this time as well and frenemies switch tables grabbing their soggy sandwich, they choose to dine with someone else.
As we move out and go away to college, things change. The dining hall is big and with a food plan you go with your roommates, classmates or anyone headed there. But dining in general bonds us, makes us familiar to each other.We have a shared experience, ͞may not be besties, but I like you.͟Then the move off campus, running in and out at all times day or night, the best way to eat together is one person cooks too much of a dish, left overs are wrapped in the fridge. You know you roommate came home because there is a fork in the leftovers and some are gone. You really like your roommate and don’t have to much time either, so you grab the fork, chow a couple bites and once again, leave the fork for the next girl. College, it is unique, but how we bond together during this time!
In our late 20’s, 30’s, 40’s busy with others. I think about friends and other women but really have no time. A shared meal is a coffee and a scone and quick fire catch up bonding conversation. Then observing those in their fifties and beyond, they have time and want to share with other women. Boys are now men and we may not have one or want one. But women we connect. We find our strength to build together to better the world, then we come together to celebrate our lives and our ͞thrives͟ over our struggles and pain, sharing a meal once again.
