Friends

November 2014

One of my good friends wrote a blog post a while back about friends.  (read it here)  This friend has been my non-relative friend the longest.  We are going on 20 years of being friends, and I'll tell you a little secret, we both turn 25 this year.  Now in the 20 years of being friends, we haven't always liked each other.  Let's just say, both of us were a little mean as little girls.  But it amazes me that after 20 years we are still friends.  And to add to it, we live on opposite sides of the country.   This year I had a chance to visit her in the spring and she came to visit a few weeks ago.  I don't know how many years it's been since we've seen each other this often.  Something that is awesome about having great friends, is that you may not see each other for years, and don't talk very often, but it's like no time has passed once you are together.

I recently moved back to the West after living in the Midwest for the last two years.  And this move has made me realize how important friends are.  This move has probably been one of the hardest moves so far, and it's so ironic because I cried when I found out we were moving to the Midwest.  But the last two years have been wonderful.  I grew to love the scenery, but it was the people who truly made living there so good.

When we moved, I gained an almost "automatic" friend.  I call her this because it was her husband's fault we were out there in the first place.  He got my husband his new job.  From the time I found out we were moving there, until the day we left, she has been an amazing friend.  She was someone I could always count on.  And it seemed that we did everything together.  A lot of people thought we were sisters, and I'm totally okay with that.

As time went on and I got to know more people, I gained some of the best friends I could ask for.  And they came in all shapes and sizes.  Some ranged from the most adorable 2 year old,  to some old enough to be my mom, and everywhere in between.  That's one thing I absolutely LOVED about the Midwest.  My friends weren't just recent college graduates like me, but they came from all walks of life and of all ages.  The offered so much insight into life, giving great advice that I will remember for years to come. And they also offered much needed laughter.  I can remember so many times having a great time with all of them.  I think that's why it was so hard to leave.  Yes, I grew to love the wheat and corn fields.  I was able to name crops I had never even heard of.  I even thought that stormy skies started to look beautiful.  But those things I didn't really miss once I moved, it was my friends.  I really wanted to gather each one of them up, pack them in our trailer and bring them with me.  But sadly, I couldn't really do that.


May 2015

As I put myself out there more and got out of my comfort zone, I have found some truly amazing friends here in our new home.  It's almost as if each of them were placed in my life at this exact moment for a specific purpose.  I have college friends who I have reconnected with, friends of friends who are now my friends, and brand new friends.  I can say without a doubt that there have been times in my life that I would not have gotten through the tough times without friends.

As I look back on the last six months, I am amazed by how much some of my friendships have grown. I love how each of us has touched the lives of others around us.

Friends come and go, but they leave a piece of them with you in your heart.

I recently attended a conference this weekend where we learned and discussed about sharing our love for others.  Something I came away with was sharing my love and appreciation to my friends.  I've tried in the last few days to express more the appreciation I have for others and let them know how they have uplifted my life.  It has given my life more joy and happiness.