This is why I'll never outgrow my best girlfriends

It didn’t take a genius to work out we were on a girls’ weekend. All the tell-tale signs were there.

High-pitched screams, shrill laughter and the buzzing excitement akin to a flock of seagulls that just spotted an abandoned picnic. Hardly becoming of a group of 20-something professionals.

But that’s what happens when you only see each other twice or three times a year.

In fact, as these occasions become increasingly rare, the squeals of joy seem to get proportionally louder.

Apologies to anyone at the same winery as us that day.

By that afternoon, we were sitting around a platter-laden table, holding glasses of rosé, covering all the essentials — careers, families, boyfriends, avocado mousse.

Being with these girls and talking so candidly, no matter how serious or trivial the topic, is more or less like a cheaper form of therapy. Chicken soup for the soul.

Because, as every woman knows, there is nothing more reassuring than blurting out whatever is going on in your head and hearing, “Oh my God, SAME”.

To set the scene, I’ve known these girls for at least 10 years now. And to be honest, not much has changed.

Only we used to spend our time talking about school instead of work and tossing up who we were going to take to our school formals, not marry.

And, I guess the boys we talked about were less mature — debateable.

A lot has happened in the last decade — we’ve lived together, gone to university together, been to each other’s 21st birthdays — the list goes on.

There’s been shared victories like graduations, new loves, birthdays, jobs, as well as the knee-buckling losses of parents, friends, grandparents, relationships.

After my first long-term relationship ended a few years ago, I was so grateful I'd kept these girls so close — or as mum put it, 'not put all my eggs in one basket'.

Because when that relationship ended, my best friend was on the next flight over.

And when my dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer, these girls were the ones checking in, surprising me with 'just because flowers' and sitting through long, emotional chai dates.

So when my boss asked me after that weekend whether I would write about these girls — I happily agreed.

Did you ever outgrow having such close female friends? I pondered this. And, I highly doubt it.

I don’t mean to go full Carrie Bradshaw here but if anything, it seems to me the need for girlfriends like this as you get older becomes greater.

Admittedly, I've typically always been one of those girls who gets on better with men.

Being brought up with a brother and no sisters, the male species’ no BS approach to life just sits well with me. Even now, a lot of my friends are men.

But then I found sisters.

There is just something about your girlfriends that the opposite sex can’t compete with.

These women are thoughtful, gentle and generous.

And look guys, you’re great, but sometimes it just takes a woman's intuition to know what to say, when and how to say it.

So will I outgrow these incredible women when I get married and have kids? Hell no.

There will be more weekends like this, more wines, more girl talk — only I guess then it will revolve around nappy changing, careers and husbands.

Tweet Jessica at @JessRapana on Twitter