Some Paint and Some Wine

Have you heard the saying, "The people who make the place"? It cannot be any more accurate if you truly think about it. The people you surround yourself with--if they are phenomenal--can make any place or situation greater than it is. I can testify to this because my best friend turned my college town into a home. She managed to take a small, suburban city like Saginaw and turn it into a place that will be hard to leave come May.

Maya Schnorenberg is best described as a bundle of joy. Scratch that...the biggest bundle of joy. She is the most optimistic, full-of-life girl. She and I have landed ourselves in some sticky situations, like driving to Detroit at 2 am to fit a massive dresser in the backseat of her car, and she always makes an experience so positive and exhilarating. Her vibes are just epic.

Our friendship came out of left field. We were both hired around the same time at our restaurant job in November 2023. She was working one of my first shifts, and I remember thinking, "Oh, she knows what she's doing. She probably has been here for a while." Without knowing, she had just started, too. We really did not talk much until January/February-ish of 2024, when Maya came over a few times to sip Barefoot wine and paint silly pictures that Pinterest inspired us to paint. But after the first couple of times hanging out outside of our restaurant job, we were inseparable. I decided to live in Saginaw over the summer, and Maya, being from Saginaw, was over at my apartment practically every night. She's the kind of friend I can sit and do nothing with, and still have ample amounts of fun. Maya makes grocery shopping, driving long distances, doing homework/studying, folding laundry, moving furniture, or cleaning my apartment way more fun than it should be. And the greatest part? She does it without even trying; it's her inner bundle of joy characteristic coming out.

I find it necessary to remind those important to you about their impact on your life. If you have been an active follower of Leah: In Progress, you may remember the entries I have written about my mother, Julianna Orawiec, and Abigail Wilgus, all of whom are still crucial to my life. Miss Maya, although knowing her for a little over a year, has only made my life brighter, more secure, and more plentiful. One of my favorite parts about her, other than her optimism, is her weirdness. I do not say this in a hurtful sense, but instead, how much of a breath of fresh air it is to be around someone who is not scared to be themselves. She never contains her excitement; she squeals, she smiles, she jumps, she laughs. She is the most polite person who excels in mannerisms. She dances in public (sometimes dabs). She simply loves to love. She loves life, and boy, does she show it. It is refreshing, and everyone around her benefits from her personality. I mean...what's not to love? I even started dabbing in public because of her; that is how much influence this girl has on me...

After being attached at the hip for the past year, our paths are finally separating in May. I have decided to move back home to Detroit, meaning I won't be twenty minutes away from Maya anymore. Our friendship is deeply rooted, so an hour and a half won't determine our emotional closeness, but the change in our physical closeness will be so upsetting. What if I want to dance in an empty parking lot? What if I want to drive down the country roads of Saginaw with her blasting Taylor Swift? What if I want a sweet treat at 1 am? Looks like I am making the trip back up...But in all seriousness, she made my college town a home because of how welcoming, kind, and all-around beautiful a person she is. She made my final year at Saginaw memorable, and for that, no words can successfully express my gratitude.

People tend to forget how much love is in friendship, and you, Miss Maya, have healed parts of me for loving me so well. You make life less intimidating. Thank you for being your vibrant self, for helping me see the little things as more, for being patient, for doing all the big and small things with me, and for growing with me. To find a best friend in your twenties is something special, but to find a MAYA in your twenties is a blessing. God knew I needed you. We may be separated by distance soon, but we will forever be inseparable.

And to think, some paint and some wine were the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Love you May! Leah xo