I binge-watched Firefly Lane this weekend. For the unacquainted, it’s a Netflix series that revolves around the theme of a strong female friendship spanning over 30 years. Kate Mularkey and Tully Hart are polar opposites. While Kate is the quiet, shy, Lord of the Rings fan who eventually goes on to focus on raising a family, Tully is the poster-girl for all things loud and brash, and goes on to have a thriving career. Despite their differences, they form a deep bond, around which the show is largely based, peppered with fairly realistic doses of romance, heartbreak and grief. While it was heartwarming, I think there were 2 reasons for me that it really stood out.
1. There were multiple scenes where the acting was so natural, I felt like I had been invited to pull up a chair and be a part of the conversation.
2. I had the honor of watching it with a close friend, whose hand was within reachable distance whenever parts got a little overwhelming.
There’s just something very healing and therapeutic about strong female friendships. For me, my first female friend was my mum. I remember till I was 7, I didn’t want to run around with kids my age in school and it would be mum who, after coming to school with my lunch would sit with me under a tree and keep me company. Those are some of my best memories of school: Sitting with my mum under a tree, chatting with her and watching the world go by.
A lot of time has passed since then. But what I’ve learnt up until my late 20s is that female friendships can be restorative in ways you could never imagine. They say you are lucky if you have one friend you can bank upon, but I think I hit the lottery when it came to meeting incredible people I get to call my own. They also say you can categorize friends as lasting for a ‘season’, ‘reason’ and ‘lifetime’. I’d like to believe I crossed paths with people who’d stick around for a lifetime. The journey has not always been easy. But when you find good people, they are usually worth fighting for and you find a way to quell your pride.
To my mind, Firefly Lane was the perfect embodiment of true friendship that stands the test of time. Where there’s a safe space to be vulnerable, where there is unfaltering trust and unconditional love, where there is the freedom to yell into each other’s faces, knowing that reconciliation is a given, that is just around the block.
To all the extraordinary women whom fate has intertwined with my journey, I want to express my deepest gratitude for joining me on my own Firefly Lane. Each of you has come into my life precisely when I needed you, and I am forever grateful.
Our friendships may not mirror that of Kate and Tully, but I am content with the profound and enduring connections I have cultivated amidst the trials and tribulations of life. These friendships have weathered storms and stood the test of time, and for that, I am truly blessed.
Dear reader,
I know most of us are not gifted with a Tully/Kate friendship in real life. But if you find someone who has the potential to be your Tully/Kate, I’d encourage you to take the plunge. I promise you it will be worth it. Signing off with a Kate Mularkey line, “Tomorrow isn’t promised.”
Quotes from the book that I’d like to leave you with:
“That was the thing about best friends. Like sisters and mothers, they could piss you off and make you cry and break your heart, but in the end, when the chips were down, they were there, making you laugh even in your darkest hours.”
“One thing I can tell you for sure is this: we only regret what we don’t do in life.”
“Their friendship was more important than any relationship. Guys would come and go; girlfriends were forever.”