Friend #7 - Gabi

The smarter 21 year old version of me

Week 7. I’d like to start this off by thanking you, my reader. I also have a request - I need your feedback on the newsletter so far. I’m not sure if I should keep going in the same direction or if I should begin to seek out more specific stories. Should I update you on friends from previous posts if there is something to share? Regardless, seeing as this is in the early stages, if you have anything you’d like to suggest, send me an email at miriamsamdur@gmail.com.

Gabi and I met for a walk a few weeks ago and for another walk before that. Essentially, she’s my Brickell Key (the best walking path in our area) walking buddy.

She’s originally from Dallas and the first time I met her was right before my trip there. She gave me a couple of suggestions on things to see but I wasn’t able to get to most of them because we spent the majority of our time at the Texas State Fair.

As one of ten siblings, I find her to be incredibly wise. Her mom is a therapist, so maybe it runs in the family.

“All of my siblings are in business except for one of my brothers. He’s in culinary school,” she says.

“That has always been a dream of mine but I think that people glamorize being a cook when it’s probably one of the hardest jobs in the world,” I reply.

We speak a lot about American college life. I didn’t really know what a tailgate party was before Gabi explained it. I also went to a commuter school and so my university life was incredibly sheltered.

“I was smarter at 21,” I tell her.

“Why do you think that?” she answers.

“My judgment was better,” I reply.

“I think it’s because you experienced less and didn’t put yourself out there in the same ways,” she explains. “But if you let the things people do or say put you down then you’re letting them win.”

“You’re right,” I say back.

“I think when we go through difficult periods, it’s important to fill our lives with new people and people that love us. But I let things make me sad too sometimes,” she finishes.