I debated about writing this, because frankly, my blog is focused on PR and social media. But really, it’s my blog, and I do what I want. (Anyone think of Cartman from Southpark with that sentence?) I promise to relate it to PR at the end, but like my friend Sydney Owen, time to get unfiltered.
I’ve been feeling out of sort the past couple of days, and I can pinpoint it to Sunday. I received a call around 2 p.m. EST while still in Boston that my friend (who I consider a brother) had been hit by a car head on while crossing the street. He is living in Spain for a year, and the next 24 hours were up and down. He’ll make it, he won’t, the next 24 hours are critical…. not the best way to travel.
I’ve changed a lot in the past 6 years – appearance wise, personality wise. When I tell people I was really shy, they can’t believe it. Swimming was pretty much my life. I didn’t really care too much about my appearance (and its why I don’t wear much makeup, even today.) I went to college in a different place and transformed – largely in part to the sorority I was in, known as the pretty blonde southern belle party girls (Go figure, I didn’t really fit the looks M.O.). I go back home and people don’t recognize me. I am who I am.
Losing someone close to you that isn’t family can sometimes be just as hard. For me, he is my big brother – the one who protected me when kids at high school who teased the shy, insecure girl put notes on my back, pulled terrible pranks and just acted on general meanness. He was the one who told me to never let them see me cry, and its part of why I have a really hard time crying now. I never told anyone about that except him and one other person (who was coincidentally around me on Sunday.) Those people who made fun of me? Some of them have changed too. Many are actually good friends.
This isn’t supposed to be a woe is me tale. I had a great group of friends that never knew what was going on. My parents didn’t even know – but I guess my dad does now, since he subscribes to my blog. 
When I say things have changed, boy have they. You just have to be my friend to know that. I make friends easily, I do a lot of stuff. It’s also a big reason why I’m always constantly trying to be better – because there is ALWAYS room for improvement.
So, how does this relate to PR? You need those people in your corner. The ones that can support you, the ones that are always there for you – no matter what. You don’t need people who won’t listen to you. My co-worker Chad yesterday told me “Lauren, we are a team. We are here to help each other, no matter what.” How awesome is that? I have the worst time opening up to people – pretty private in general, this blog post withstanding – but you have to have that mentality. I have the worst time letting people in, but I’m trying to change that.
Told you I would relate it back to PR. My friend? He’s hanging in there. He’s stable, and things are going back and forth. For all of you that have been there , I know I’ve told you all individually- but thank you again. I’ve learned that having people in your corner, instead of pushing them away, is the best philosophy.
