Sometimes when I stop and look at the girlfriends around me, I mean really look, I feel this incredible sense of pride. In this funny point in our lives, being in our late 20s and early 30s in a world full of uncertainties, we seem to be frail beings trying to find firm ground to plant our feet on, and the only defense we have against falling is those hands that are tightly holidng our own. And you know the person whom those seemingly strong hands belong to might be scared to death herself, but when you look at her she gives you a nod and a look in her eyes that tells you everything is going to be ok.

And what an amazing group of women I have around me. They may not be the brightest or the richest, the most accomplished or most ambitious, but they live each day of their lives being true to themselves. Two weekends ago we gathered in a little cafe close to L's gallery and I would snap out of conversation to reflect on what life has brought each of us. There's B, who has worked so hard much of her adult life and finally finds true love in a foreign city, and for whom life's pieces finally seem to fall into the right places. There's L, whose passion for art is the center of her being and who lives with big dreams to become what she always wanted to be. Then there are the slightly younger ones of us. KC goes on a self-discovery journey back to where she came from, to find answers away from the chaos and confusion. And J, who returns to a family business with so much courage and determination to make it work, and never fails to carry a smile even when her eyes are so blurred with tears. Then there's me, who sometimes looks around her and feels so blessed to have everything she has, and who, despite being lost sometimes, never loses hope.

So, I take a little break from translating that huge lengthy piece of blah to take a few minutes to think about not just these ones, but all of my girlfriends everywhere. I'm so proud of you for believing in yourselves, for staying true, and for always trying to do the right thing. You're a super bunch, ladies.