Hi There, How are you? Has anyone asked you that lately genuinely awaiting your honest reply? Did you get on with the interviewer and found out you had something, anything other than good manners in common?
I’ve been told I’m a good friend, loyal, honest, prayerful, and available for all kinds of things. I’ve also been the recipient of kindness and I often boast about my beautiful friends. I once thought that I wouldn’t make many new friends after university seeing that my besties and I are still besties even with the changing schedules life has thrown us. BUT I am happy to report that I’ve learned that it is ok even as we age to keep making friends. The Lord in his kindness has given us friends for days, for seasons of life, for life, and for love. Sometimes those friends change places and sometimes a person who has been in your life for 20 years and one who has been there for 2 both hold the dearest of spaces in your heart and this is perfectly fine.
I have recently encountered new friendships that have been so life-giving and so encouraging. I am in what is an interesting part of life that I’m sure others are also living in. I am a mid-thirties, beautiful Black woman who happens to be currently single and childless. My friends circle is just about evenly split between the Single and Paired Up. Those who are married and with children naturally have less time to dispose of even if they wish to. And to be fair most of us Single ones are not at home twiddling thumbs and staring at walls either.
This season of life has taught me to go and get what I need. If it’s a hug, I can ask for it; a special beach day with or without friends, go do it; Community, build it. Imagine my surprise when I realized a couple of these new friends also had and loved lippies too. I’ll use initials here because I can and this is about them being kind when they didn’t need to be and me appreciating that more than the gifts they gave me.
N.B., is a wonderful young Black mom and wife with the most beautiful skin and a desire to just hang out and connect. She works in the beauty industry and when I went to hang out with her she brought out a bag of brand new beauty products for me to try and keep. I was surprised and grateful. See a few of the things she gave me. Full sized products and lippies.
B.B., is another wonderful Black woman with acting experience in Europe and just wanted to hang out with me. Her hair is a wonderful mane and she loves either coral and reds for lip choices or chocolate nudes that wonderfully contrast her butterscotch skin tones. She told me that she usually gets to keep whatever is used on her in the make up chair when she’s in the middle of shooting and so she had a few things to offer me too. How kind! B.B. is back in Europe but we are keeping in touch and the relationship wisdom she offers me is very welcomed gift. After a quick wipe with some rubbing alcohol, I try them on and smile.
My dear reader let me be the first to encourage you to be kind to everyone you know because you never know which of those faces will be the one your new friend wears. And yes I know not every person you are kind to will be kind to you, but kindness is free, doing it and receiving it do not take as much effort as being nasty and mean. The good thing about giving is that you actually receive the blessings of other’s joy too. Try it! Ask someone how they’re doing, hold the door for someone, pay for someone’s meal, buy someone a lippy and enjoy the smile someone will send your way.
Kindness and lippies! – #wearitlikeyoumeanit 💋
The Lipstick Blogger 