MOG #5: Wallet sized

I have this theory that there is a connected circle of girls who are in this world of female empowerment and mentorship together. It must have started with one really cool girl, who took one or two younger girls under her wing and instead of secretly hating them or creating toxic relationships. She probably helped them; guided them, supported them. Then these two girls went off into their worlds and did the same thing for two other younger girls and a cycle was born. I have several older girls in my life who have influenced me more than they would ever know, and many of them have suggested they grew up with such poise because they followed in the footsteps of an older woman too. 

I like to think I am one of those cool girls to my good friend Kendra. We met in high school with a couple of grades separating us but we became really close. She's like a soul sister; we've dated really similar boys, have had the same sort of anxieties about growing up and find joy, love and humour in so many closely related concepts.

However Kendra is much stronger than I am, likely one of the strongest people I know. Through the entire time I've had the pleasure of calling her a friend, Kendra continues to surprise me with the amount of grace she employs through her strength. Such a resourceful, kind hearted, determined individual. I cannot wait for her to post an MOG (hint, hint girl!) but for now, I have one dedicated to her.

Our friendship is one where we see each other every few months in coffee shops and usually shut the place down. We spend hours pouring out every little story and instance, filled with laughs and reflection and encouragement;  tears are always on the menu. Each conversation is the equivalent of a long drive- I never really know how far I've come until I meet up with this beautiful girl again. Mentally stimulating, soulfully refreshing. The best kind of friend.

I was with her when a girl messaged me about getting an MOG up. The amount of support I've had since this project started has been overwhelming, to the point of tears, every time. I immediately break into sobs of "it's working, it's happening, people actually get it!". In response, Kendra says something along the lines of "your words really do affect people, Mare"; which is always one of the nicest statements I encounter. This time she pulls out a piece of paper.

"I've been carrying this around in my wallet for a while. You don't even know the amount of times I've pulled this out during a bad day, taken a breath and then kept going. It's been with me through three wallets, too".

It's a letter I dropped off at her house last year, after one coffee shop date that left us both in tears. I wanted to give her a little take away to bring her into her second semester of school and we all know that you only hand write letters to people you really care about. I sat down the next night and wrote to her about why she will find success; because she's made of pure fight and fire. There are spelling mistakes, crossed out words and my penmanship is mediocre in its own weird font way, but to think, something that I did without thinking twice had that much of an impact on someone.

This is why I started MOGs. It's not about self-recognition, it's about carrying someone else to a better place. Seeing the boomerang effect of it is just a good feeling.

If anyone knows me, the number 3 is a huge thing in my life. I'll write about it one day, but it's honestly everywhere (I even got the #3 waiting room at the walk in clinic tonight). Kendra's letter is dated January 4th, 2013. When we hung out it was January 1st, 2014... just three days shy of a year mark.

How lucky am I to know such an inspiring person? I am so honoured that Kendra has kept this little piece of paper in her wallet as a source of strength all this time. She will always have a little piece of my heart in return.


That smile though...