Whenever I'm having such a shitty week, I miss my friend Lowe. Well, I'm having such a shitty week, and I know she would be able to drag me out of it because she is the most amazing human being I will ever know. She is encouraging and supportive while gentle and generous. Lowe's industrious and impactful ways are inspiring. She gives without expecting anything in return. In fact, when she moved to Geneva, she gave me her Trek bike. Every time I rode it, I thought of her and her and felt her warm encouragement. No matter where I was, part of her spirit joined me.

Then this week that bike was stolen.  (Lowe, I'm so sorry, but your bike was stolen.)

I literally left it next to my garage to go inside and open the garage and bring it in. When I got there, it was gone. Five minutes, tops. And I live in a really nice neighborhood next to national park land. Maybe a racoon rode away on it. But a stolen bike alone didn't make my week shitty. Four of my employees gave their end-of-the-month notice. (Mostly because they are off to fulfill their goals, which I love and am truly excited for them. I just wish they didn't all go at once.) Then I had a $22.50 cab ride to my boyfriend's. Then my boyfriend and I got into an argument followed by an argument about how often we've been getting into arguments. Then Starbucks burned the coffee, a-gain. Then my friend and I were texting how much we miss New York; and I went into bunny-ears-on-the-dancefloor withdrawal. Then I felt lonely. Now I feel lonely, rather.


My patient boyfriend has grown tired of the tribulations associated with being Emma Dinzebach this week; and honestly, I'm starting to feel bad blabbing it all to him. I need a friend who, knowing all the times I've royally effed up in my life, still believes in me with unwavering loyalty. I need Lowe.

Lowe is thankful for me. She is confident that I enrich her life. And she is proud of me, not like a parent proud of me; but on her own free will, she is proud of me. She never fails to express her gratitude for our friendship or my listening or my blind guidance.

Lowe moves me.

At the end of this not-so-great week, I really needed someone to move me. My mom is out of town. My boyfriend is visiting his parents. My brother is doing his laundry. My best friend didn't answer. Mia is trying her best with a bisou-a-thon. What I really need is a dose of my pal Lowe, but she lives in Central African Republic. I have no idea what time it is there. So my next best option is to remind myself that I have been uncomfortable before and am here to tell the tale. Like that time I survived that long and painful camel ride through the Sahara because Lowe made us sing "Hooked on a Feeling." And I am cooler because of it. So maybe I'll be wiser because my bike was stolen. Or better with a leaner team. Or elevate Starbucks with feedback. Or elevate my relationship with love.

(You know some people they just won't understand these things.)

Emma Dinzebach