Pieces Of My Soul

Soul Mate (noun): a person ideally suited to another as a close friend or romantic partner

When we think of a soul mate we think of that one true love. The person that you are just destined to be with for eternity. Now, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a skeptic. For the longest time I questioned the existence of soul mates. My thought process was, 'How can you be meant for just one person in this entire world?' My philosophy has always been that there is never just one person you are meant to end up with. If you find a person you wouldn't mind hanging out with for the rest of your life and are mature enough to be able to work through problems, you can marry just about anyone. However, my thought process has since changed.

I think that everyone has that moment after graduating high school where you wonder if you'll ever find friends like the ones you had in high school in college. That's why when kids go off to college, for the first year they take breaks very seriously and look forward to going home and seeing their high school friends. As the years progress this anxiety of the approaching break becomes less and less appealing. You begin to fully immerse yourself in all that college has to offer and eventually find friends that are just as great, if not better, than the friends you have back home.

The scariest part though is finding those friends. People like to make the argument that by joining a sorority you are 'paying for friends'. However, once you join a sorority you begin to realize how wrong of a statement that is. Yes, there are dues that you have to pay but those dues go towards the organization as a whole and being able to fund all of the fun things our organization puts on for its members. This organization has given me something that none other could, a home away from home. Somewhere that I have found people who accept me for exactly who I am and women who I really have made a special bond with outside of the sorority connection.

Pi Phi is the perfect fit for me personality wise. I know that I would just not fit in the same in other sororities. Yes, I could find friends and connections in any sorority I may have joined but I know deep down inside this one was meant for me. Next year I will be living with my 3 best friends in my sorority. I am happy to say that these women have truly become my best friends. They are always there for me when I need it and know me better than anyone else. They are what make Pi Phi my home away from home. These are the people that you know you will be friends with forever.

This is exactly why my mind has changed in regards to the existence of soul mates. I think that when you think of that term you automatically assume that it needs to be in a romantic way. I would like to counter that and argue that perhaps anyone can be your soul mate - whether it be romantically or just through friendship. These women get me, unlike anyone else I have ever met. They truly care about me and are interested about my life. There is something to be said about someone who wants to hang out with you just as much as you want to hang out with them. I have found that in these women. And I know that due to the existence of those people you meet in your life that you are able to pick up right where you left off, as if no time has gone by whatsoever. They know you so well that they could practically read your mind if they needed to.

That to me, is a soul mate. Someone who you connect with in a way you may not be able to explain to others. In some ways it makes me worried about finding a man that I want to spend the rest of my life with on these terms. But then I think of my favorite Carrie Bradshaw quote and realize it doesn't matter, because I know I have found at least one person in this world who gets me - and that's all anybody ever needs.

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Sisterly Love

Sister (noun): A girl or woman who shares a common ancestry, allegiance, character, or purpose with another or others, specifically

You can never underestimate the power of a sister. They are someone who will always be there for you. When you need to laugh, cry, or just someone to talk to - they're always there for you.

I have made some incredible friends this past year since joining Pi Phi and I can proudly call these women my sisters. While in the traditional sense we may not be blood related but we share a common allegiance, character, purpose, and believe it or not ancestry. Now ancestry may not be your common mom or dad but we do have founders and these founders have since caused this ripple affect in allowing me to call all of these women around the world sisters.

I never realized where I would find them either. My grandma is my sister. One that I will always cherish forever. I learned soon after my initiation that my aunt is a Pi Phi. It really is funny how many people I learn are Pi Phi's.

It was funny because we were in Panera Bread the other day discussing recruitment and this women comes up to our table and asks if we were Pi Phis (she must have seen the sticker on my laptop). Well she immediately reaches for my hand to give me a handshake, I was later embarrassed to find out she was giving me the secret handshake and I didn't even realize it...either way it was so cool to run into someone out and about who shared a similar past as me.

We may not be blood related but the knowledge that only us as sisters possess is incredible. It's amazing how much we share, our common interests, beliefs, it's hard to find that any place else.

Even though I did not grow up with any blood sisters, I am lucky because I get to call thousands of women across the world my sisters and I wouldn't have it any other way. So thank you Pi Phi, for filling my life with beautiful, successful women whom I look up to on a daily basis. I couldn't have asked for a better ancestry.

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Farewell Old Friend

I'm back! I'm sorry I missed Sunday's post. I was having kind of a rough night because of what happened today, I will explain later. But I didn't really have anything I knew I wanted to talk about and I also didn't really feel in the spirit to write. Anyways, onto today's post.

Today marks the end of a life for someone in my family. It was my dog, Rosey. We are all going to miss her so much. She seriously was the best dog anyone could ever ask for. Rosey was 13 years old and her health was failing her. There wasn't ever a big incident that let us make the decision easy. It was basically up to my dad. Her health had been failing for a while now. The Vet even told us that there was nothing else we could do for her. So, it came down to my dad making the decision. And since my whole family was going to be out of town this upcoming weekend, he decided that today was the day.

My whole family came to say goodbye to her. Going into the office was so hard because I just look over and I see my father crying. That led me to start to cry. We all went in and they let us have a couple more minutes with her to day goodbye. My dad, mom and I were all crying while my older brother tried to make light of the situation, cracking jokes.

Time was up and they brought her to the back room. They told us they would bring us back when she was sedated right before they euthanized her. Once everything was all set up, the technician led us to the back room. And there she was. Laying on a towel calmly breathing. They told us she would still be conscious at that point, but it wasn't the same. While she was still alive in that moment, I knew she wasn't truly there. If she had been she would be the lively, loving lab that she had always been. She would be scratching up a storm because her allergies were off the chart, she wasn't Rosey.

We got to pet her and kiss her one last time and then the vet came in. They inserted the needle in her leg slowly. At one moment she shook, like something I had never seen. It's like her soul was just torn out of her body. I knew at that point she was gone. But even still, seeing her lay there it didn't seem real. It seemed like she was just asleep and that she would wake up at any moment. But she didn't. She was gone.

Going home I cried the whole way back. I walked through the front door to my house and my first reaction was to call out to Rosey to greet her. I saw her bed, it was empty. I went upstairs to see the spot that she would lay in all day was empty as well. And that's when it really hit, she was never coming home. Sure she will always be there in spirit. But the flesh of the dog I had for more than half of my life was gone forever. 

I will miss her so much. She has taught me so much about love and loyalty that I will never forget. She was my best friend as a little girl. Any time I was upset I would just go and cry to her. I told her everything. She will always hold a special place in my heart that will never be filled.

Love you Rosey. I can't wait to see you again someday.

xoxo,

Casey Rose