This is Me - You don’t have to camp in the woods
This is a post included in the This is Me series where I answer 1001 questions about myself as writing practice. Each post consists of me answering 5 questions about myself. Wanna share what you would answer to any or all of the questions? Do it in the comments section!
WHAT DOES BEST FRIEND MEAN TO YOU?
I would argue that the term "best friend" has an objective meaning: the friend who you feel like is the best out of all of your friends. Can you have more than one best friend? No, because logically, you can not have two number 1's.
You could make an argument that you can have a "best" friend out of different arbitrary categories such as a male best friend, a female best friend, a best friend who is older than you, a best friend who is younger than you, a best friend who is your same age.
I realize that I might be annoying with my technical answer of this question, but I am of the opinion that we should be precise with our words so as to avoid potential confusion.
"In your opinion, what qualities does a best friend exemplify?", would be a more precise question. The question as asked is akin to saying, "What does vanilla mean to you?". Vanilla has a definition that is objective, but opinions about vanilla are all across the board. I’m sure the same goes for what people might think about the qualities in a best friend.
I realize this distinction may cause some eye rolls; however, we have a difficult enough time trying to understand each other these days (if we even try at all) so there is no harm in working to be more precise with our words.
WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Now that is a solid question. Answer: easy, my husband Paul.
I have many friends. I have some really, really good friends. I have some friends who I rarely speak too but would still consider friends. I have people in my life who likely think I am a closer friend to them than I think they are to me. I love all of these people. But there is no person alive right now who knows me as deeply and intimately as Paul. There is no one else I could have lived and traveled with in an RV for two years. There is no one I would trust as much, no one I would count on as much and no one who can make me laugh quite as hard. He's my bestie and I am so incredibly thankful for him.
TO WHOM ARE YOU THE MOST DEPENDABLE PERSON?
I'd like to consider myself a fairly dependable person to most people with whom I have some sort of a relationship with. I consider follow through to be a characteristic that I value highly, therefore, I must also exhibit dependableness to others.
That being said, I'm quite sure I'm most dependable to Paul. He is my husband and that relationship just goes to another level. He needs to know he can trust me implicitly. Even if I don't want to do what he is wanting or needing me to do, we have made a commitment...in good times and in bad…I will always make my best effort so that he can depend on me no matter what.
HOW ARE YOU FEELING IN THIS VERY MOMENT?
Today is Friday, July 15th at 5:48pm and in this very moment I'm feeling a little bit tired because I didn't sleep well last night. I'm feeling glad that I don't have any commitments tonight because I've had something going on every single night this week. I'm feeling happy about our house and that we have a comfortable place to ride out this ridiculous heat wave in TX right now. I'm feeling heavy about the state of our country and what the last two years has done to us as Americans. I'm feeling hopeful because God is faithful and always keeps his promises, and I know that Jesus wins the war despite Satan winning battles all around me. I wish that I could see all of my friends in person more often. I'm nervous and excited for the next thirty years of my life. I'm satisfied.
ARE YOU AN OUTDOORS KIND OF PERSON?
When I hear "outdoors kind of person" I immediately think about someone climbing a mountain with a very large backpack, wearing hiking shoes and some sort of flannel shirt tied around their waist.
I am not this type of person.
The first time I went camping I was 33 years old. Well, actually that is a lie. I did go camping when I was in middle school with my friends family. I peed all over my sweatpants when trying to go to the bathroom in the woods and that is the only memory that I have from that trip, so I don't feel like it really counts.
On what I consider to be my first official camping trip, my friends took me to Maryhill State Park in Washington on the Columbia River. There were spots where you could park your car, there was a picnic table and fire pit at the spot and you could walk a few feet down the path to use the bathroom and take a shower.
It was like I had been lied to my entire life.
I thought camping meant you had to pack everything up and walk into the woods to "set up camp". I had no idea you could do the same thing in a pre-designated spot that you just drive up to, set everything up, sit outside in your camp chairs and then walk over to the bathroom whenever you want. And the next day you could get in your car and drive down the road to pick cherries and do some sightseeing. You didn't actually have to spend time in the woods, living off the land.
A whole new world opened up to me during that camping trip. So even though I don't go on regular hikes or spend a lot of time in the woods, I do enjoy camping, playing golf, going for walks, and generally spending time outdoors enjoying God’s beautiful creation. So yes, I do believe that makes me an outdoors kind of person.
