I don’t spend a lot of money on new clothes. My car was built before bluetooth was a feature, my TV isn’t ‘smart’ and I’m pretty sure my second hand chairs at my dining table are going to break any day. Possessions will out date, but memories, they will last for always.

I’ve been told that the key to happiness is living in the moment, and appreciating the  beauty of that moment as it happens. To focus attention on all you have, not on what you don’t. It’s not easy. In fact, as my girlfriends and I ventured away to Mornington Peninsula for a quick escape, we soon realised how often we complained about the most mundane things. “Of course it had to rain today and ruin our beach plans”. “This fridge is too small to fit all our cheese and wine”. (What a problem!) We tried harder after that to search for the positives, and ended each day by sharing our highlights around the dinner table.

You may see these photos and think, “Beautiful place,” or, “What gorgeous girls”, (thanks guys ha). But I see more. I can hear the giggling behind the self-timed photo shoot. I can feel the sun on my shoulders as we floated in the pool, and recall the effort it took to cook pancakes in an old, sticky frying pan. The way we couldn’t get Powderfinger out of our heads after watching a beautiful sunset (over the beaches beaches beaches beaches). The way Hannah is always ‘photo ready’ and woke up each morning on my pillow with me. I can see Ness playing ‘Mum’ and enjoying her novel reading a little too much. Or hear Christie’s laugh during the funny parts in a movie, or her patience as she tried to teach me a new card game, as the rain continued to fall. I smile as I think of the arguments over the best way to cook two-minute noodles, and the moment we realised that we’re getting old when a board game, mac and cheese, wine and good conversation trumps a night out dancing.

There was a moment I walked out of the bedroom and saw how gorgeous my friends looked.
Headbands, necklaces, makeup, frocks… that little extra effort taken to feel beautiful as we were heading out to wineries for the day. I felt insecure as my hair drip dried over my bare face, and I was wearing ‘nothing special’. I rummaged through my overnight bag for something nicer to wear, but stopped myself. Does anyone really care if you wear a touch of mascara or a pretty dress? Besides you? It’s Summer, the greatest effort I take is to shower and brush my teeth, so I decided to just go about my memory making confidently. It’s not what I own, wear, or how I look that I will remember. It’s the conversations, feelings and company that will last.

…And that afternoon, as we arrived home, pyjamas were put on and makeup removed, ready for another night in, I realised again…. how gorgeous my friends looked.

For Hannah, Christie and Ness