Thanks so much! I'm so glad I shared.

I don't know if I'd say I'm outgrowing my friend, I'm certainly learning to appreciate her more for who she is. She has her good days and bad days like anyone else, and I'm starting to see that she can't help a lot of her behaviors because she doesn't see them, just like me with my issues. And who knows, maybe I can be a good influence.

I'm starting to see that if I just give myself a moment to see things from a different perspective, things generally aren't so bad as they appear to be through the foggy lenses of self consciousness. I'm starting to see that I'm no more flawed than most people, I just take my insecurities way too close to heart.

Getting to know one of my housemate's friends better has been making me see this as well. I've always seen this girl as the coolest, prettiest, most together girl... she's got the best marriage, she fronts a really popular local band, she's a super successful graphic designer (if you've bought kids clothes at wal-mart, chances are they were of her design) and I've always had such a girl-crush on her. But getting to know her, I see that she has just as many problems and she has a lot of insecurities too. If this girl who I just think is the coolest ever can be insecure, then I must not be all that freakish myself. Only difference is, she has better coping skills.