I don’t like the word buddy.
{Cringe}
Buddy makes me think about the time Greg didn’t know the last names of some of his pick-up basketball playing friends. Greg’s great uncle also has a dog named Buddy. Then there is an elf.
I call my son “buddy” sometimes. But then I cringe. Don’t even get me started “bubby.”
If someone asks, “Did your buddies come over Saturday?” I want to say, “No, my dearest friends who have sustained me and encouraged me and lived life with me came over.” But, you know, my husband has taught me not all my responses have to be so dramatic.
In most cases, buddy seems to make relationships seem more superficial than that really are to me. I know people who choose this word don’t feel the same. I know they aren’t devaluing my relationships. They don’t have that power and I’m certain that’s not their intention anyway.
But then Holley Gerth asked me to partner with a God-sized Dream buddy from our Facebook group who I would encourage as another committed to be my cheerleader. She also reminded me of the importance of real-life dream buddies.
Honestly, I found myself giggling at her word choice. She has no idea that the word makes me laugh and cringe simultaneously. But her message was yet again one of truth and nudging accountability. {Side note: If you don’t know her, dig into her blog or her books. She’ll tell you things and make you think she’s sitting across the table from you.}
Once I got done giggling and cringing, I truly appreciated Holley’s encouragement and I jumped into the partnering thread in our Facebook group and started connecting with these new dreamer friends. Honestly, the possibility of these moments creating new friendships is one thing I adore about social media. Technology has changed our social culture and made our world smaller.
And now I have encouragement coming from Southaven, Mississippi, and Alabama’s Gulf Coast. It’s supposed to be I encourage one and one encourages to me. But I can already tell the encouragement is going to go both ways as I’m getting to know Tonya and Jessica. I’m excited to share dreams and stories. And we hope you join us.
While it’s no official buddy system, I’ve also been blessed by another new dreamer friend who was willing to read my book draft. Her email was packed full of awesome ideas, several of which I plan to implement. Elizabeth Anne has encouraged me with her perspective, comments and critique. Plus, I’m pretty sure we’d be friends in real, everyday life anyway.
Then there is my everyday life, in which I’m blessed with dear friends who lives are intertwined with mine. I like it that way. In fact, I prefer it that way. I couldn’t do life without them. They inspire me and sustain me and dream with me and plan with me and have conversations over lunch while our kids talk and sing louder than we’d ever choose with me. Jaclyn, Sarah, Jenn, and Courtney have copies of my rough draft in their hands. They’re reading {or have read …} part of my dream and our friendships found their ways into the pages. I don’t want to call them buddies, but just this one I will. But only because what they are to me is what Holley was implying when she spoke of the importance of having a support system surrounding me.
On my application for Holley’s Dream Team, I had to list a real-life dreamer buddy. I listed Holly. I introduced you to her dream earlier this month. I emailed telling her I wanted to label her as my “dream buddy.” And her response pretty much summed up our friendship: I’ll be your dream buddy for life.
So there it is. I’m surrounded my own personal dream team of buddies. Tomorrow I think I’ll call them friends.
Who helps you chase your dreams and supports your moves to capture them?
Tuesdays are God-sized Dream days around here and I’m linking this post along with many, many other dreamers on Holley Gerth’s blog. You’ll find encouragement, truth and community there. Want more? Subscribe to get “Insights” in your inbox. Or follow me on Twitter.
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