Month: March 2017

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Musician by Night, Potato by Day: 5 Ways to Be a Better Night Owl


Musician by Night, Potato by Day

– Written by Kyle Estabrook

Some of us have a pretty routine life. Wake up between the hours of 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM. Open the curtains to greet the day. Stretching out your arms to get the blood flowing. Brew up a cup of joe. Perform the “Three S’s” of the morning. Get dressed, then head to whatever obligation you have to occupy your time. Most people are on their feet and ready to go by the time it’s 11:00 AM;  In fact, most people are ready for lunch by then. Me on the other hand, I tend to have quite a difficult time trying to stay awake. Usually between the hours of (for the sake of dramatic effect) 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM, which is when I typically get out of classes.

That’s right, I was the guy that would fall asleep in class because he decided to stay up all night squeezing out as much productivity as possible before heading to bed, which 2:00 AM to 3:00 AM is pretty standard for a guy like me.

Now I know that most of you understand what it’s like to function on a 3 to 6-hour sleeping schedule, but here are some of the reasons why I have stayed up so late and some of the solutions I’ve come up with to help alleviate the situation, making the rest of the day a little more tolerable.

So as the title may suggest, I consider myself to be somewhat of an artist. I’ve been playing guitar for 12 years, singing for 10, and producing music for 2. The times in which I find myself being the most creative are between the hours of 8:00 PM and 2:00 AM, 2:00 AM being the time where all cognitive functions cease and what’s left of my brain resembles a starchy plant used to make delicious side dishes. During this time frame, I like to create music, edit film in adobe, work on homework assignments that involve writing, create photoshop images, organize things; basically anything that my OCD of a brain would like to accomplish.

If you identify with any of the things I’ve mentioned above, then congratulations, you’re a night owl!

 

Here are 5 things I have learned over the past 4 years of college that might just help you with getting your life together:

1. DON’T schedule classes that start at 8:00 AM, or DO schedule classes that start at 8:00 AM: This may seem contradictory, but just hear me out. When I was a sophomore, I thought that forcing myself to take 8:00 AM classes every day would change my whole sleeping schedule, and allow my brain to be active during the day. It didn’t, but for others, it may work. Sleeping late at night could be the result of a bad habit. Forcing your body to adapt to this change may be the push you need to get out of being a night owl. For me, creativity is most prominent during the later hours, so my suggestion would be to schedule your day based on your sleeping pattern. My classes start from 12:30 PM each day, which gives me plenty of time to wake my brain up, feel relaxed, and start the day. I would plan on going to bed before 2:00 AM (12:00AM-2:00AM), wake up between 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM, and feel relaxed and mentally prepared for the rest of the day.

2. Don’t drink caffeine past 7:00 PM: This one’s super simple. Every single one of us, and don’t you dare tell me otherwise, have drank or ate some form of caffeine. If you haven’t, then you are not human, and you are now classified as a meat-popsicle. I need caffeine from time to time because I would accidently choose to have all-nighters, which is a direct result of having terrible friends who peer pressure me into having a social life. Obviously, drinking caffeine over the weekend when you don’t have any future obligations is perfectly acceptable, however, if you do need to wake up before 10:00 AM, I don’t suggest drinking coffee after 7:00 PM. The half-life of caffeine is anywhere from 4-6 hours, which half-life apparently means the time required for any specified substance to decrease by half. I had to google that.

3. Trick your brain into being active: If you find yourself having a little bit of extra time during the day, but don’t feel very creative or active, try tricking your brain! Do something that would stimulate your brain to have similar reactions to when it would be active at night. For me, cleaning tends to do the trick. When I clean my house, I become very vigilant about all the things that need to be taken care of. When my house is completely clean, it feels like I’m starting off with a fresh new space to work in. Less clutter = less worry = so much room for activities. #stepbrothers

4. Prep for less stress: This one may take some time to get used to, but it works! The biggest problem I have when waking up is preparing for the day and not feeling stressed about the amount of time I have to get prepared. If I feel rushed and I head to school feeling this way, I’m not going to be a very happy camper. If I feel relaxed and ready, then the rest of the day is smooth sailing, or at least tolerable if you do run into a few hiccups. Simple things like preparing a set of clothes for the next day, meal prepping, and organizing all the things needed for school/work, would decrease the amount of time spent to prepare, and would allow you to spend more of it mentally preparing for the amount of time it’ll take for you to find a decent parking spot on campus.

5. Do what feels good: The last piece of advice that I have for you is to listen to your body. Nobody knows how you feel better than yourself, so know your limitations and understand what you are capable of. If it means that you can spend just a little more time working on music, then do it. If you know that you have an exam the next day and you need more sleep, then figure out a way that will help you sleep. My tip is to drink a heavy dose of tequi…. I mean… leave all of your technology out of reach when you try to sleep. Bright white screens tend to keep people up longer.

Much like how writing this blog post is doing to me. 

 

 

Author – Kyle Estabrook

 

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Never Too Old: Lessons from a Butte Boy

“Hey Gramps, how are you?”

“Any better babe, and I couldn’t stand it.”

Before sitting down to write I called my grandpa to hear his voice, to listen to his tone, to feel like I was young again sitting in his lap, listening to the hits of the 1940’s on a static radio. Summer hail storms pounding on the roof, sipping sweet lemonade, is where my grandpa shared his life stories. Some were funny, some serious, about life, determination and just being a badass.

You’re never too old to set goals.

My grandpa’s father died in his 50’s, before being able to experience the retirement he wishfully envisioned and dutifully saved for. Determined to avoid this unfortunate circumstance, my grandpa retired at 58 after a dedicated career in the telephone industry. Now 93, my grandpa has been retired for 35 years, a unicorn amount of years in today’s workaholic world. However, a monotonous life of idleness was not on my grandpa’s retirement agenda.

Snorkel in tow, goggles sucked to his face and flashing $300 Speedo swim bottoms, my grandpa swam like a fish. Always seeking a competitive edge, he persuaded my grandma to buy him top-of-the line swim trunks as they promised to make him faster during his morning laps. Completing his final 5k at 87, he participated to claim the trophy each year for his age bracket. Albeit the fact he was often the sole competitor in his age group.

While his physical feats are notably impressive, his competitive and goal setting mindset is what continually motivates me today. My grandpa set an annual goal to swim a mile on his birthday each year, swimming his final birthday mile at the ripe age of 92. Short term goals were always realized as he set out to fix the plumbing by March and the deck by May. Looking ahead, he set goals to be present at all major family milestones. My grandpa was 86 years old when I entered high school. Consciously choosing to ignore statistics, my grandpa concluded he would be there to watch his youngest grandchild of six walk across the stage at her high school graduation. Looking out at the bleachers as I received my diploma, his smile radiated from the acknowledgement of both our accomplishments.

The takeaway? Strive to always progress and stay in motion. Whether it be professional, personal, or desire-driven, setting goals force one to constantly evolve and grow.

There is always time to make someone smile.

 “I sure hope the rain keeps up.”

“Why?”

“So it doesn’t come down.”

 

“Is that your face or did your pants fall down?”

If I have one regret from my childhood, it’s not recording every witticism that spewed unfiltered from my grandpa’s mouth. Butte, America born and bred, his jokes were rooted in the rough-and-tumble yet celebrated era of the small mining town in the 1940s. His clever, and sometimes inappropriate sayings left family, friends, and strangers clutching their gut with uncontrollable laughter. While writing his jokes is an injustice to their effect, his timely delivery made for fits of giggles, regardless of repetition.

Most everyone can think of someone who is immediately liked, can talk to anyone, and befriends everyone who breathes the same air. For me, that’s my grandpa. He always set aside time to get to know someone, share stories, and swap jokes. In our day to day routines it’s too easy to be buried in our phones, focused only on getting from A to B, uninterested in those around us. Before my grandpa left a restaurant, airplane, or any other public space, he knew most everyone in the room. He knew where they were from and who their parents were. My grandpa’s infectious personality is one I always admired and it is the reason he remains unforgettable to so many.

Food for thought: How much better would our days be if we set aside time to simply make someone smile every day?

Show your swagger.

“I’m the finest guy that ever put on a pair of shoes.”

My grandpa at his 92nd birthday, giving old age the finger.

The signature phrase of his 92nd birthday, my grandpa is a man with unlimited confidence, using his high self-esteem and healthy ego to wow others, show humor, and exercise his charm. On a short visit to the ER last year, he falsely convinced the nurses he rostered for the Chicago Cubs back in the day. Now, this isn’t entirely untrue. In his twenty-year-old prime, he played for the Cubs Farm League (Minor League) based out of San Francisco. At a pay of $113 a month, not including room and board, my grandpa left the Farm League after a short time unable to make due on his measly salary. Sharing his fabricated story with his nurses, the nurses doted heavily on him, captivated by his athletic history. Without a doubt in my mind, my grandpa received the best medical care in the ER that day.

His contagious confidence has appeared on multiple occasions, with family events being no exception. At the time, my grandparents had been married for 67 years. In front of all 200 wedding guests, the DJ asked for the key to a long-lasting marriage to which my grandpa simply responded, “She knew she had a winner.” Never ashamed of his best features, my grandpa boasts about his “pretty feet”, a compliment given by a war nurse decades ago. His baldness is even a source of confidence for him, constantly reiterating, “God made a lot of beautiful heads. The rest he covered with hair.” To his credit, my grandpa does have some good-looking feet and has always rocked a naked head. Lesson to take away? Find your source of swagger, whether it be baldness or pretty feet and work it.

“Getting old ain’t for sissies.”

One of my grandpa’s all-time favorite quotes, his youthfulness always seemed to make this quote irrelevant; but today, his hands hurt. He can’t see well. Each time he gets up from his chair, he wobbles like he is going to fall, and he occasionally does. His personality has stiffened with his joints and his laughter is harder to find, buried underneath self-induced guilt of being no longer able to take care of his lawn, race me in the backyard, or swim a mile. Some of this piece is written in the past tense, as age has hardened him and a lack of physical freedom has contained his once free-flowing spirit. But, no matter what age has done to my grandpa, he remains my hero, my unshakable source of faith and my continual motivation to succeed.

At the end of our phone call, like he does every time, my grandpa hangs up with, “I love you sweetheart, more than you’ll ever know.”

Back at ya, Gramps.

 

 

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Battle Between ‘America vs. Europe’

I would like to start off with saying that I am not trying to attack Americans, I am just trying to describe the differences and the way I feel about it.

Beyond the stereotype (because we all love to generalize (including myself)), there is more to the image of the average American. European people tend to image the average American as a big person with oversized clothes preferably an American flag on it and an XXL Coke or a hamburger in the hand, and then a gun somewhere around the belt. Since I moved to America, first I got a huge culture shock, but I surprisingly found some great things about this country and their citizens. The fascinating thing is that there are so many differences between the two continents; Europe and America, besides just the language. I mean give it a try and Google; ‘differences between US & EU, you will see what is popping up first. 😉

To not be too offensive, let’s balance it up with stereotyping an average Dutch person; direct and honest in words which can be received as rude, trying to be funny 24/7, blond (&dumb?), blue eyes, tall, wooden shoes and preferably a joint in the hand and a Heineken bottle in the other hand. People tend to think that The Dutch like to visit the ‘coffee-shops’ and the ‘Red Light District’ often, since it is all legal. Oh and Germans like to call The Dutch ‘Cheese-heads’. 

 

  1. Education

When you think about America, we tend to think that everything is huge. True, universities and campuses can be insanely big, something that doesn’t exist in Europe. But in Europe, a college education is cheap or even free and offers no frills. But, you won’t necessarily find these cute liberal arts colleges where the classes are small and the professors are eager to be mentors. No, in Europe, classes are typically held lecture-style and professors don’t consider their roles to be mentors. But, size alone doesn’t explain the difference. Most Americans, after all, desire to attend large state schools. At European universities, there is mostly no central campus, the university buildings are scattered across the city and lots of these buildings look more like office complexes. No quadrangle to meet. No dormitories. No sports teams. No mascots. Which was for me the solution to come to America and play college tennis.

 

  1. Dress code

I already started off with the stereotype American with oversized clothes and no desire for fashion. Students for example, love their hats, wear them in class or to a bar/club and never take them off, it looks like they are glued on. Are they so insecure about their haircut? Well, it looks like, Americans don’t always seem to care how their hair looks. While European boys can be sometimes too much, they take hours in the bathroom to make sure that their hair is on fleek. I received a major culture shock when I arrived; I can now basically go straight from waking up or Netflix into business class, since in the classroom athletic clothing or pajamas are considered as business casual.

As in Europe there is a higher standard of what you wear. Guys with skinny jeans could be a normal, daily outfit. Europeans care more about what you wear and how you dress, in the eyes of some Americans it could be ‘overdressed’, for them it would be what you wear to prom.

 

  1. Transportation

Again, America is huge and so are the distances; things are reversed when it comes to distances. Europeans would like to think that driving 100 km is quite a long way, while for Americans that would be rather near.

Yet, Europeans travel much more than Americans, inside or outside their own continent. This might be because Europeans are used to go “abroad” since their childhood, European countries being so small, and do not feel the whole experience to be so exceptional. Supposedly Seattle residents feel the same about going to Canada, a stone’s throw away.

Almost all Europeans have small cars with manual gears, while Americans have a marked preference for big and automatic ones, since the size matters in America. The whole world is trying to go ‘green’ and think about the environment, but America seem to have lack on that, since the trucks and the huge cars are still around in large amount.

Besides the car, public transportation isn’t a big thing in America, but the solution in Europe. In Europe, every city or even country is reachable by train or bus, there are even night trains in which you can sleep. Probably because of the smaller distances people are used to take the bike to do a grocery (seen the exercise of the day for an American, but part of daily life for Europeans), while in American people seem to drive for every minute they have to walk longer.

 

Some short facts that made me realize the differences;

  • European countries all have a lot of traditional dishes from their region or city. The Netherlands is an exception, the Dutch aren’t famous really for any traditional dish. Fast food and the drive-thru really is a necessity in the American culture. Deep-fried food covered with sauces galore is an actual thing. This travesty they have the audacity to call “French bread.”
  • Restaurants that serve ice in your water, no matter the weather. Waiters that come check on you every minute & fill water when you just had 1 sip. At least water is always for free, which is not the situation in Europe, a true downside of Europe in my opinion.
  • Exaggerate behavior of employees in restaurants, I feel like they all graduated with a theater degree in school.
  • Dutch people eat (good quality) bread in the morning and for lunch, in America they barely eat actual bread.
  • Ungodly portion sizes at restaurants. The biggest size coke in EU is here the smallest, and there is not even refill in Europe.
  • People fill your grocery’s in bags at the grocery store, I have never seen anyone doing that in Europe.
  • The huge 3-liter wine bottles that I have never seen in Europe before. Quality before quantity I guess.
  • The price for (quality) cheese $ in America……….
  • Toilet visits are always free in America, great thing because you often have to pay to go pee in Europe. Even in de nightclub..
  • Americans never put the fan on when they cook, just when it is necessary and the food is on ‘fire’.
  • When I go to the shopping mall, every minute some employee comes up to me to ask if I need help (especially Victoria’s Secret).
  • Being asked for your ID for every bar/club you are entering, even though you are way older than 21, and you look rather closer to 30.
  • Texting is still big in America. For Europe, ‘Whatsapp’ is the shit. I haven’t ‘text’ someone in like 5 years I think. We all use Whatsapp, it just uses data/wifi and you can text and call. So, no one has a phone plan which has messages included.
  • In America, they like to say ‘hey’ and ‘bye’ on the end of a message even though it is a good friend. Ending with XXX is inappropriate somehow.
  • In Europe, they say more f*ck than anyone ever says in America, and English isn’t even our first language. It is received as rude in America, same as ‘shit’ and ‘pissed’.
  • Stores, shops and gyms are 24/7 open, you won’t see that often in Europe.
  • When someone says, “how are you?” but they really mean “hello” and actually DGAF how you are.
  • There are so many people smoking (cigarettes) in Europe, in restaurants, clubs, in between breaks from classes. The smoking percentage is way lower in America, which is great.
  • American flags. Everywhere. I don’t think you will ever see a Dutch flag by just walking through the city or neighborhood.
  • Religion what is that? Religion is significantly less important to (western) European countries (Netherlands, Belgium etc.) than to Americans.
  • Americans and Europeans don’t always agree on questions about morality, especially on issues related to sexuality (abortion etc.).
  • I really have the feeling that people ‘hurry’ to get married/engaged. Which is not the situation in Europe, nevertheless people don’t always marry anymore, just because religion became less important.
  • Then tipping, tipping is a necessity in America, for coffee, drinks and even tattoo’s and they prefer 20%, even if the service was mediocre. Which is a ridiculous amount in Europe. A couple of euros for a good meal is more than enough, especially for the stingy Dutch people.

 

I might seem to hate America, but don’t get me wrong, America is still a great part of the world with beautiful nature and people.

 

~ Stanzi Stuijt, Senior and International student from The Netherlands, studying Business Marketing at The University of Montana.

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Butte, America: 11 Reasons to make Butte your Montana St. Patrick’s Day Destination!

  1. Friendly Sons of St. Patrick Banquet on Thursday night, March 16th to start off the celebration!

The 109th annual
Friendly Sons banquet, the longest consecutive event celebrating the Patron Saint of Ireland, St. Patrick, will be held at the Front Street Station March 16th starting at 6 p.m. The Friendly Sons (and now Daughters!) was founded in 1908 by Butte residents Judge Jeremiah Lynch, Maurice English, and John H. O’Meara.  Enjoy Irish music, corned beef and cabbage, great conversation, and laughter while enjoying a beverage or two.

 

  1. Crowning of St. Urho also on Thursday night, March 16th – keep the celebration going!

This year the Butte Finlanders traditional crowning of St. Urho will take place at the East Side Athletic Club, 3200 Dexter.  The crowning of St. Urho  starts at 6 p.m., the Great Scots will perform at 5:30, 6:30 and 10:00,  and the Anaconda Pipe and Drums will be at the club at 8:30.   F.O.G., a rock and dance band, will perform from 7 p.m. to midnight.

In Uptown Butte, the celebration begins Thursday night at 5 p.m. with music from the Butte Central High School pep band.  For Heavens Cake Bakery will serve a giant grasshopper cake (made out of cupcakes), the Finnish throwing game of M
olkky will be set up, and another St. Urho will be crowned with the release of 2,017 balloons.  Local bands, King Friday and Mile High Voltage will play throughout the night, with bagpipers making random appearances.  A pub crawl will include stops at the M&M, Maloney’s, The Acoma, Goodwill Tavern, Cinz, The Times, and The Party Palace.

 

 

  1. Painting of the giant street shamrock on Main and Broadway at Midnight – be there for the first moment of March 17th!

Watch the painting of the giant shamrock to ring in the holiday at 12:00 a.m.  Drink a green beer while experiencing a now time-honored tradition initiated and carried on by Butte’s finest men and women of Irish heritage.

 

  1. Patrick’s Day Parade

Enjoy the nationally-known Butte, America St. Patrick’s Day celebration with the St. Patrick’s Day Parade which starts on Friday March 17th at noon.  Enjoy the great energy of uptown Butte with parade watchers and participants in crazy get-ups.  Put on your green gear and see Butte celebrate its Irish heritage!

 

 

  1. No need to guzzle your drinks before venturing from bar to bar

Enjoy your drink, visit with old friend
s and make new ones while you walk throughout Uptown Butte from bar to bar, or while you sit and enjoy the parade as there is no open-container law.  Get a drink to go at one of the many friendly bars or Headframe Spirits – the local distillery where you cannot beat the atmosphere or the drinks.  Street vendors are also available to provide nourishment.

 

 

  1. The Edmonton Police Bagpipers

Enjoy the bagpipers from the Edmonton Police Service all the way from Edmonton, Canada! They not only march in the parade, but visit bars and restaurants throughout the day and night to entertain the crowds.

 

 

  1. Handing Down the Heritage

Butte’s own Dublin Gulch and the Tiernan Irish Dancers will be celebrating the 14th annual Handing Down the Heritage show at 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 17, at the Butte Civic Center, 1340 Harrison Ave.  The event is a great multi-generational St. Patrick’s Day celebration with food, beverage, music, and dance.  Admission is $13 for adults and $5 for students with children 13 and under free when accompanied by an adult.

 

  1. Reunite with friends, family, and meet new friends

When in good ole Butte, Montana, you will reunite with old friends you haven’t seen in a while, family members who you have missed, and you will meet plenty of new, friendly p
eople! There are many 3rd and 4th generation Irish families in Butte whose ancestors came here to work in the mines.  The history in this little town is unbelievable – it is an amazing melting pot that takes pride in its founders of many nationalities.  St. Paddy’s Day is a celebration of the Irish and the Irish at heart!.

 

  1. The M & M Bar and Café Livestream Online

Not only can yo
u visit the world-renowned M & M Cigar Store, but your friends and family who are unable to attend the festivities can watch the crowded bar in the full swing of St. Patrick’s Day celebration online!  Go to mtstandard.com/stpats17 to enjoy the celebration from anywhere in the world.

 

 

 

 

  1. Bars within walking distance

There are fourteen bars within a 7-block radius in Uptown Butte where the fun never ends.  The Vu Villa, The KC (Knights of Columbus), Park 217 and its Wine Bar, Headframe Spirits, The Dublin, The Times, The Party Palace, The M & M, Maloney’s, The Silver Dollar, The Acoma, The Cavalier, The Uptown, and Metals.

 

 

  1. It’s Fun!

You are guaranteed to enjoy your time in Butte – great people dressed in crazy, green outfits, green beer and other beverages, the parade, and all the events from Thursday through Friday night.  What better city in Montana to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than Butte, America, the most Irish city around!  So come to Butte, enjoy some corned beef and cabbage with a blarney stone from the BS Café.  You won’t regret it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Work Cited:

Edmonton bagpipers returning for St. Pat’s celebration. (2017, March 10). Retrieved March 13, 2017, from http://mtstandard.com/entertainment/tgif/edmonton-bagpipers-returning-for-st-pat-s-celebration/article_2c4b609b-6136-52e3-93e7-6ece122c2fbc.html

“File:St Patrick’s Day celebration, Butte Montana (2007).jpg.” Wikipedia.

Happy St. Paddy\’s Day. (n.d.). Retrieved March 13, 2017, from http://www.egriz.com/grizboard/viewtopic.php?t=56500

Headframe Spirits. (2014, April 09). Retrieved March 13, 2017, from http://commaq.com/project/portfolio/headframe/

Maloney’s Bar. (n.d.). Retrieved March 13, 2017, from http://www.butteamerica.com/maloneys.htm

“St. Patrick’s Day, Butte, Montana – Picture of Butte, Montana – TripAdvisor.” Reviews of Hotels, Flights and Vacation Rentals. Accessed March 13, 2017. https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g45106-i70628066-Butte_Montana.html.

“St. Patrick’s Day.” Sareck Design. May 28, 2012. Accessed March 13, 2017. http://www.sareck.com/portfolio/st-patricks-day/.

Standard, P. H. (2016, March 15). Irish music, dance coming to Rialto in Deer Lodge. Retrieved March 13, 2017, from http://mtstandard.com/entertainment/irish-music-dance-coming-to-rialto-in-deer-lodge/article_c4fb7d38-93c3-57d2-9e6c-2313f380d07e.html

Virus, R. (2013, September 07). M&M Cigar Store, Butte, MT. Retrieved March 13, 2017, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/25229906@N00/9691304610

Woolston, C. (2016, April 28). Stepping Out in Butte, Mont. Retrieved March 13, 2017, from https://www.viamagazine.com/destinations/stepping-out-butte-mont

 

 

 

By: Bailey Harper

 

 

 

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Friends: Reason, Season and Lifetime

Disclaimer : In third grade I had to write a book. My book was about a secret pencil. I think it was magic. In my book, which we had to read aloud in class, I loaned my magic pencil to one of my new friends. This did not go over well when my BFF listened to my story. She was probably mad at me for the rest of the day. In third grade, all day felt like an eternity. That being said, I will not use real names in case one of my friends reads this and refuses to talk to me until the end of the day.

Being a friend means so many things to many different people. Someone once shared a quote with me about the three types of friends.

“We have three types of friends in life: Friends for a reason, friends for a season and friends for a life time.”

Setting the stage; I live a nomadic lifestyle and one of the benefits is having friends scattered around the country. However, not all of these friends make it into the “friends for a lifetime” category.

For example, I shared an instantaneous connection with one friend, Sally. We were inseparable for about three months. Our friendship was so strong because of our personal situations and its convenience. When both of these variables changed, we stopped talking for a while and when we did talk, it was as though we had nothing in common. I had a hard time understanding why we started to fall apart. This is when a good friend of mine shared the quote with me. The quote allowed me to understand a little better. We were friends for a reason. We both needed someone to connect with during a frustrating time and it was easy for us to be there for each other.

Some friends are more seasonal. For example, these types of friends have a really good bond for one season, then the season changes and you are not really sure if you will see each other again. I spent a summer working with a group of really great individuals and had a lot of fun. We celebrated the fourth of July and threw a big party when the experience was over. They will always be good friends, and for that summer they were my best friends. However, when the summer ended the regular conversation starts to fade. I still know what they are up to, thanks to social media, but I don’t regularly connect and we may never hang out again.

Then, you’ve got the friends for a lifetime. They are the friends you have known for a while, or maybe only a couple years but the bond you share will last a lifetime. They are the friends that no matter how long it has been since you have spoken to each other, or have seen each other, you know they are always there and always will be. I am fortunate to feel like I have a lot of these friends. We may not see each other all of the time, or talk on the phone but we still chat every once and while. It is these friends that have become my sisters, brothers and maybe one day I will become an honorary aunt.
There is nothing I would do to trade the people I have met even if they are in my life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.