What I've Learned in Housekeeping: Murdering Your Husband

"Friends are there from talking you down from killing your husband."

I remember exactly where I was standing in the duplex when I heard those words at the end of a conversation I had totally missed (don't you always hear the best things when that happens?).  One of my co-workers was renovating a house with her husband and it was a stressful day.  Another housekeeper called her just in time to "talk her down" from dismembering her beloved husband.

Now truthfully, no one around is here is going to murder anyone else. Got it? Good. BUT if you're married (or if you have a family), you understand that sometimes you just want to kill each other.  I am sure that I will understand this more as the years go by, but even I understand this a little bit.

But that's what friends are for.

I will admit that since the summer ended I have been incredibly lonely (I hope to share some thoughts on this in the future) and I have come to truly appreciate the house keeping ladies as my friends.  I guess that means I wear "big girl panties" now because my friends have shifted from school-mates to co-workers.  I'm okay with that because I am fortunate enough to work with great women.

We all need friends.  It's a no-brainer.  But we still need friends when we grow up, get married, and move away.  This also seems like a no-brainer, but I think sometimes we neglect this.  How many Facebook friends do you have?  If you exclude family, how many people would TRULY be there for you if you needed them.  If you are fortunate, maybe you have about two dozen but most people don't.

We need each other.  I have found that it is really hard to find a good friend who will love you no matter what, stick by you through anything, and understand you enough to talk you down when you want to kill your husband.  They are the ones who will tell you when you have broccoli in your teeth or when you need an attitude adjustment.  Most of all, they know how to listen and just be quiet when your heart is breaking.  We need each other.

I am continuously learning the value of true friendship and I am privileged to say that my education on the subject has continued in housekeeping.  I have watched them send cards to old co-workers who lost a loved one, buy knick knacks for everyone's children's fundraisers, provide rides when no one else would, and stand by each other when times were really hard.   I love those ladies.

This one's for you housekeeping ladies.  I'm grateful to have you in my life and one day I'll need you to talk me down from killing my husband.