Make New Friends, But Keep The Old

How many times have you heard that saying?  Have you ever really stopped and thought about it?  I have many acquaintances, but just a few really good, true friends.  My friends come in all age groups from their early 20s to their late 70s but each one of my "true" friends brings something special into my life.

I have kept up with friends I had while growing up in Little Rock through FaceBook and Pinterest and after all these years, I find that we still have a lot of interests in common.  We share a lot of childhood/teenage years memories and experiences, but even though I haven't seen some of these people in over 20 years I still find that we have some of the same likes and dislikes, pet peeves, etc.  I keep saying that one day I'll go back and meet some of them for dinner one night, but for whatever reason I keep putting it off.  Maybe this year, I'll actually do it.

I am going to dinner tonight with a group of friends that I met at my last job.  We worked together for several years and many of us have moved on to other jobs, but a group of us still get together once a month to eat dinner and play catch up.  These are the ladies that were with me when I went through a bad break up, was a single mom trying to raise two teens, lost my dad to cancer and they were there when I started dating the man who later became my husband.  They have been through hell and back with me and we have history together.  We know each other's deepest, darkest secrets and would drop everything to be beside the other one if they needed us.  These women have become the sisters I never had.

In my current job, I work with another group of amazing women.  I haven't known these women as long, but they have become friends.  We share a lot of our day to day activities and problems with one another and are there for support when we're needed.  These ladies are the ones who were there for me when my son left for boot camp and AIT, when my daughter moved away from home to attend college and they were there when I married my husband and took my first vacation in over 10 years.

I guess the old adage of everyone is in your life for a season is a true statement.  I've had some "friends" who were in my life for a while and then we just drifted away from one another.  Sometimes life got in the way; children's activities, school, moves, etc.  Sometimes we just grew away from each other because the situation that introduced us was resolved and what was left was just not enough to keep us close.  We might still run into each other and say "hi" but we will never be as close as we once were and that's okay - we served our "season" with each other and have both moved on.  No hard feelings on either side just really not enough history to keep us close.

Whatever the reason for your friends and the length of their "season" enjoy them while they are an active part of your life.  Thank God for bringing your friends into your life and, when you get a chance, thank them for being a part of your life.