Adding Color to my Cube

Dedicated to Lauren, Natalie & Tanya who add color to my cube on a daily basis.

Last night a friend shared her trepidation of taking a new job that would land her in a cubicle. "I just don't know if I can work in a cubicle," she groaned, "How depressing."

"It's not so bad," another friend chimed in, "In fact, I can actually listen to radio, e-mail people (now looking right at me) and read an occasional story." We had also just discussed a recent writing/publication victory of mine--reason for the purposeful glance in my direction. "I don't know why she worries that sharing her stories will bother me, or make me think she has an ego" she addressed the group, "When Erin sends me e-mails and stories she has written, it adds a little color to my cube."

Now what kind of writer would I be if I didn't snatch up that image and run with it--color to my cube? I'm not one to get overly sentimental--at least not on a blaaag for us folks who aren't supposed to be taking ourselves too seriously...but bare with me while I take just a small sentimental tributary. The idea of me adding color to my dear friend's cubie, got me thinking about my relationships with my women confidants. I became grateful at the thought of being able to add something pleasant to their world. Especially through my words on paper...or blaaag...or website...or they get the point now Erin. I thought about how, in another life when I was not the healthiest of human beings, I blackened my friendships--taking, rather than giving. What a blessing to be able to make someone smile with my goofy analogies, similes, big words, words used in the wrong context (Lauren, that's for you), and stories of life and three trippy, but adorable kids.

More important than the warm fuzzies of hearing that I add color to one's cube, is the fact that these women friends of mine--these intelligent, beautiful, crazy women friends of mine, add infinite amounts of color to my cube. True, I don't work in an actual cube...but with twins and an almost three-year-old stuck in a 20x20 living room most days, it certainly feels like one. True too, that I experience plenty of color in my day from my little people. But, phone calls from my girlfriend on the eighth floor of her office, sharing disasters of project management, or from a friend managing a department store in the throws of Christmas season, and from my friend trapped in her cubie...add a different kind of color to my cube. I'm addicted to their voices, stories and laughter. I'm addicted to the color they bring into my days filled with crazy, crabby, and wonderful children. I'm hooked, and must keep up my daily color fix.

To all the ladies in my life--thank you for adding color to my cube.