Back Row Broads of Jamaica

It all started on the back row of a bus.

Four women. Four different backgrounds. Four very different personalities.

It began at the airport after arriving on a mission trip in Jamaica. The 25-passenger bus pulls up, and I got on first - and courteously moved to the very back of the bus to take a seat, by the window on the driver's side. I am the storyteller of the group - and perhaps the instigator. I don't like to think of myself as the instigator, but it is the role I take on.

Kerri then came on the bus, and took the seat by the window on the passenger's side. Kerri is the free-spirited extrovert of the group. Kerri is up for anything.

Kristen came in next - our youngest member, our quietest member - but has a secret "wild" side, and so she fit right in. She took the seat by me.

And then Lisa joined our group - sitting by Kerri. Lisa is the glue that holds our group together - she is the "mom" with the good, practical advice - and the solutions to any problems we may have.

Our group was now set - and what a group it became.

The rest of the week, these seats became OUR seats - and our stories, humor and laughter became unique to our own group - which became known as the "Back Row Broads of Jamaica."

Out of friendship, pacts were formed - including challenges to complete things on our own "Bucket Lists." The craziest challenge? Skinny-dipping in the ocean. Hmmmm....would we do this???

Our opportunity came later in the week, while swimming at Dunn's River Falls...however, when it came to the actual moment, the challenge changed quickly from "skinny-dipping" to "APPEARING to be skinny-dipping." One word can make a big difference. The photo you see above is the challenge where we are APPEARING to be skinny-dipping. Trust me. Appearances can be deceiving.

So, even though we couldn't quite complete the initial challenge - man, did we have fun on the modified challenge! I don't know that I have laughed that hard for so long in a long time. We are cracking up in this photo - too many "buoyancy jokes" happening. Some of us are buoyant - some of us aren't so much.

The trip ended - but not our friendship. Just last night, Lisa came in from across the state, and we had a reunion dinner. We drank Jamaican Breezes (duh), and laughed, reminisced, and made future plans to get together. What other things can we cross off our Bucket Lists? How many more laughs and stories can we share?



Friendships are incredible - be sure to do YOUR part today to save the world, one bucket list at a time, one day at a time. Call up an old friend and get together - go skinny dipping - or appear to go skinny dipping - but do something fun. Life is just too short.

Irie, to my Back Row Broads of Jamaica. Until next time.

Peace.