LSHxisUJDNĬhristie Tate wrote an article in The Washington Post on January 3 about how, after receiving a laptop for Christmas, her fourth-grade daughter realized that her mom had been writing about her online for quite some time. is an openhearted examination of the power of friendship from people who love us exactly as we are.Jamming at Chicago’s finest roller rink. Tell how one life can alter another.”ī.F.F. Meredith gave her blessing: “Tell them how we changed by holding each other’s hand as we looked honestly at ourselves. One memorable day after Meredith had been diagnosed with a terminal illness, Tate told Meredith she planned to write about their friendship. She’s unafraid to share the unvarnished truth about her insecurities, such as when a friend with whom Tate felt competitive considered joining one of her therapy groups, and Tate reacted by gouging a bloody line into her own arm.īut Meredith modeled lasting friendship for Tate, even when it was uncomfortable. Tate explores these memories and her adult friendships with the same vulnerability that made Group such a captivating read. Meanwhile, Tate had shared a bathroom with her father and brother, who also separated her from her mom and sister at meals. For example, Tate’s mom and sister had shared a bathroom when she was growing up, and they sat beside each other at the family dining table.

When Meredith came along, however, she pushed Tate to reflect on why she felt separate from others, which allowed Tate to begin recognizing patterns from her childhood. Tate had previously allowed friendships to fade whenever she moved from one life phase to the next. Such meetings brought numerous influential women into Tate’s life, including Meredith, who pledged to work through her own friendship issues alongside Tate. In B.F.F.: A Memoir of Friendship Lost and Found, Tate writes about her journey toward friendship using the language of recovery and 12-step programs. Tate recounted this recovery process in the New York Times bestseller Group, but it turns out the work of healing doesn’t end at “I do.” Her fear of intimacy had improved in some areas of her life, but Tate soon realized that her friendships needed attention, too. This meant she’d tackled her issues, right? She worked through her tendency to date men with alcoholism and even found a healthy relationship with a man she would eventually marry. Christie Tate confronted her eating disorder head-on.

Christie tate