Do you ever just cut the crap and get to the good stuff with someone?

I call it a “heart talk.”

I had one yesterday.

It was with a friend I’ve known for a couple years. We aren’t best friends, and we don’t see each other everyday. 

But we are real.

We met up for lunch, and even though we hadn’t gotten together in a while, there wasn’t any small talk. We just cut right to the real stuff.

The stuff that exposes how we’re really doing. The stuff that someone has to really trust you to share. The stuff that I’m aching to uncover, for someone safe who will listen.

Instead of “how’s school going” and “what’s new with your husband,” it was “this is hard” and “I don’t like my child right now” and “how do I know when God’s trying to tell me to make this change.”

There were some watery eyes, but nothing crazy. No balling or spilling our guts all over our french fries and salads.

It was raw and real. And so very satisfying.

It was only 30 minutes.

But when I left, I felt lighter.

I felt free.

I’d shared my burdens with someone else. Not a best friend, not a sister. But someone who loves me and cares, and who had also been brave enough to share her burdens as well.

It was refreshing.

It was healing.

It was real.

It made me realize that I want to be ‘that kind of friend’ more.

The kind who exposes herself to let you know her life is not perfect.

The kind who shares about the crappy stuff, instead of just recapping the social media reel.

The kind who cuts the crap and gets right to the good stuff.

The kind of friend who is brave enough to be real.