I dared to compare my shoes!

So tonight I went to the opening of the second "Sex in the City" movie and it didn't disappoint. Afterwards, I was in the restroom with all of the younger, trendier moviegoers who opted for stylish outfits in honor of the movie. Of course, while in the stall, I contemplated (while looking at them on another pair of feet) buying a pair of the "very now" wedge sandals for myself and trading in my own shoe's attempts at being feminine Birkenstocks. Sigh. It's hard not to watch a movie with cutting edge style and be somewhat inspired to edge it up a bit. And don't get me wrong, I have plenty of classic pencil skirts and gorgeous heels, but I also have my old standbys, my birkenstocks and loafers.

But then I look in the mirror as I wash my hands and notice that I still look pretty good; younger and thinner than a week ago, in fact (Hey, maybe that diet is finally working!). And I'm sure that the younger girls in the trendy dresses I'm comparing myself to in the bathroom are also probably sizing me up as some young, mis-guided twenty-something who doesn't know a capri from a cargo pant. But alas, I'm in my mid-thirties and full of wisdom that allows me to care little what other people think of my dressed down option for movie night. And they probably don't realize that my trouser shorts and plum knit top are an outfit that I feel good wearing because even in my overweight state, it's a becoming outfit on my post-pregnancy body. They don't know that my husband would have loved to have been my date and the fourth male in the mostly female audience (pretty sure two of the three were gay) but he had to stay home because we couldn't get a babysitter. And even though he was dog tired from our three year old waking him up at 4:40am to help her blow her nose he still told me to go to the movie because he knew how much I wanted to see it on opening day.

It was a great movie and I related to so much more of it than I imagined. There was so much evolution in the characters with marriage and kids and how they still tried to hold onto their identities through it all. It was a very "I am woman, hear me roar!" type of movie and a celebration of friendship. And even though I absolutely loved being a part of their world again, I left the movie and that bathroom with such a quiet contentment of where I am in my life. I've grown so much in the past five months as a wife, mother and person. I've allowed myself to deserve breaks and time to myself. It took me awhile, but I got there. And I've grown in my friendships, too. I've created more depth with an entire array of women, from my very best friends to women I knit with but can't remember half of their names. I've listened to friends and strangers while nodding my head in understanding as they vented their problems. I've really grown to appreciate the connection within every level of friendship.

As I walked to my car, I was reminded how much I missed my own best friend tonight and wished that I could call her up and get a drink together. Unfortunately, she lives far away and has her own children to take care of(by herself). So I left her a message telling her how much I miss her and how the movie reminded me of our friendship and how lucky I am, blah, blah, blah. The great thing is that she won't even bat an eye over my sappy message. We've left plenty of those over the years for eachother. Of course, she'll laugh at my comparison to younger women in the bathroom and their shoes! And she'll be surprised and delighted that I even care to wear trendy wedge sandals over my comfy birkenstocks or loafers. And even though she's miles beyond me in the cool and trendy department, unconditionally, whatever I wear, whether it trendy or "predictable me," she'll think I'm the coolest thing ever! And people wonder why women identify so much with "Sex in the City" It's really not that hard to figure out.