Sticks and stones

was just thinking about all the people who love to tease/scare/annoy/pester me mercilessly each day. I am told that it is a form a flattery, flirting, or a way to show love. Hmm, the jury is still out on that one.

I have always been one people like to tease. I think it is because of my reactions, which I have tried to modify to no avail. People also like to see me mess up--say something wrong, pronounce a word incorrectly, spelling errors, etc. But unlike most people who occasionally do those things and people laugh and forget about it, when I do it, it lives on FOR-EV-ER.

My dear friends, Dana, Natalie and Tami are probably better at this than anyone. For example, ONE TIME during college I ordered a "Chicker Finger" Basket. Yes, I said chicker instead of chicken. Ha, ha, ha...SOOOO funny. Well, this past weekend it was brought up again as we ate at KFC. It's been over 6 years!

These types of things, though, are what made friends, friends. Shared memories--knowing someone so well and loving them anyway. Dana, Natalie and Tami are the ones who know me better than anyone else in the world. Although there are othersclose to me, these three girls know me in a different way--just as Holly--a peer, a friend.

It's hard to pinpoint. I don't think I am a different person when they are around, but there are aspects of me that they see through different lenses. When they see me, they don't define me by a title (like discipler, BSU secretary, etc.). When they see me, they see ME, not just a sliver of me. I don't have to be guarded or watch what I say. I know I am accepted 100% as me--quirks and all. There is freedom in our friendship.

However, I already see this post coming back to haunt me. Next time "someone" lies across my desk with their head right by the phone, or makes gross noises with their arms on my desk, or crawls into the room to scare me, or makes fun of something I said incorrectly, I will be reminded of this post.

I will say this. It is okay to keep teasing me as long as it is not the only interaction we have. The reason Dana, Nat, and Tami can do it is because our friendship is build on MORE than that. I know that they do love me and value me as a person. It's not all about making me the subject of their jokes. Otherwise, jokes can turn into hurt feelings. So if you tease me, and I get hurt, most likely I don't know where I stand with you.

This is somewhat random, I know, but that is what came out today!