Truths: What is Behind the Greek Letters of a Sorority?

I had the pleasure of getting together with my sorority sisters for a sleep over Saturday night. Out of the 9 of us who once lived together in our own house senior year, 6 of us were able to make it to the get together. Considering the other 3 live far away – I think that it’s amazing.

Some people cringe when they hear sorority, some people laugh at the concept – some people think it is just a bunch of fake, snobby girls… Maybe some are. But, I met 8 of my closest friends from college in my sorority and after over 15 years, we are still the best of friends who cherish the time we get to spend together.

No, it has nothing to do with the secret handshake or the ominous night of initiation or the ridiculous crap we did doing Rush Week… it just has to do with getting to be friends, enjoying the crazy parties we went to, the all nighters studying for tests, the tears from broken hearts and the laughter from getting revenge!

The memories from our years of college keep us bonded but the moments we have shared since are what keeps us together as we trudge through life.

Saturday was one of those moments. Each of us bringing our favorite drink, a few bites to nibble on and a whole bunch of everything going on in our lives to talk about.

From dealing with our kids birthday parties to weight watchers and marathons, and everything in between.

For 9 hours we simply talked and laughed and just got to be the girls we once were laying on couches and sharing our lives for hours on end.

The setting was perfect: Anne’s parents condo while they were out of town. Which meant no interruptions, no kids’ toys to look at, no phone calls – just us – just perfect.

What I love most about these women is our honesty. No one is making their life out to be what it is not. No one is upping the other one – in fact, the honesty is so great that instead of portraying some glorified life – everyone just pours out what isn’t so good… and is looking for help or confirmation.

Which everyone else so freely gives. No, my daughter isn’t an Einstein, no my husband doesn’t help with the kids parties, no, I don’t know the last time my husband and I went on vacation just the two of us… etc…

We are real girls (okay women) who share openly everything about our lives because we know it is safe to do so. What friends could be better than that?

One of our friends could only come for a few hours because she just had a baby… We begged her to bring him along…so Peter got to join our circle of friendship… What could be more adorable in a room full of moms who have no more babies of their own - than a baby?

Everyone “fought” to hold Peter… No one cared when he spit up all over them… no one cared that he cried… We were just so in awe of how small he was – how cuddly he was… and we all talked about when we had our first babies and it seemed so hard…

Now we all know that every age is hard. The toddlers who have tantrums, the 6 year olds who can’t share and now the 11 year olds who talk back and already think we don’t know anything.

No, Peter was a dream a come true that night! (Not to mention some great practice for being a grandma!)

Peter’s visit was short lived… but our conversation was not. Well into the wee hours of the morning we talked. We had cake to celebrate Tina’s birthday around midnight…eventually sleep became a necessity and conversation came to an end.

It had been forever since we all were able to just crawl to our beds in the same house. There is something rather comforting about knowing your closest friends are there with you. Maybe it is nostalgic of our younger days…but, maybe it really is just knowing that if you needed anything during the night you know you could wake someone who would sincerely be there for you.

Night turned to morning and as I walked downstairs, everyone was sitting around, coffee in hand, TALKING… We had not run out of things to say – I don’t know if we ever could.

I plopped down and joined the conversation as though I had never left.

There is something magical about waking up to your friends… no kids to make happy, no laundry staring at you or dirty dishes… just your friends who want nothing more than to hang out.

Gosh, I miss that.

The coffee cups emptied and soon the cocoon we had enjoyed – our escape from life – would open and expose us to our real lives again.

However, we were ready. Re-charged by laughter and great company – we could go back to or daily lives and feel happy…

That is what friends do – allow one another a safe place to talk and open up and make one another feel good about who we are and where we are in life.

Go ahead - poke fun at sororities – if you want…but for those of us who were silly enough to join them – we came out with friends who have helped us and continue to help us as we go through life – unconditionally.