TO THE ONES I NEVER HAVE TO EXPLAIN MYSELF TO

Twenty years ago, 17 women became 17 Signs of Pearlfection.

This September, seven of us packed our bags, boarded a ship and celebrated 20 years of sisterhood. And somewhere between the dinners, dancing, laughing until our stomachs hurt and reminiscing about the girls we were in college, I realized just how grateful I am for the people I never have to explain myself to.

Because living with a chronic illness comes with enough explaining.

For the second time since being diagnosed with MS, someone I considered part of my close circle tried to weaponize my illness against me. It was suggested that I use MS as an excuse.

I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bother me.

Not because I question myself, but because it came from someone who has watched me show up for years. Before MS. During MS. On good days. On days when my body was doing things nobody else could see. To have all of that reduced to an “excuse” because I now have a name for what my body sometimes needs was hurtful.

But lately, I’ve been learning that chronic illness doesn’t just reveal things about your body. Sometimes, it reveals people.

It shows you who deserves access to you. Who extends grace without requiring an explanation. Who understands that sometimes plans change, energy changes and what I could do yesterday may not be what I can do today.

And then there are the people who simply get it.

That’s what made this anniversary trip so special.

We danced. We laughed. We celebrated. We loved on each other. We picked up pieces of friendships that had been sitting untouched for years and discovered some of them still fit exactly where we left them.

There was no audition for understanding. No defending myself. No proving that I was trying hard enough. Just love.

So this October, I'm thankful for sisterhood, old friendships finding new life and the people who make room for the version of me that exists today.

MS has taken some things from me. But apparently, it's also helping me clean up the guest list. And for that, I might owe it a little thank you.