Friends

Alright. Friends. What are they and who are they? I was just able to have lunch with one of my oldest friends. We met at around the age of four. And have been just like sisters forever. We grew up just down the street from one another and went to some of the same schools together. She then moved away for the first years of high school and then came back. But then life happened. And this is where it could have ended. However it was not meant to be that way. We have always had the draw to stay close. So after about 5 or so years of being apart we made it work to have lunch.
Now this is the place where I try to understand why do we have friends and who they are. When we are growing up we always want to be with other people other then our family. We think they are more fun or smarter. I really don't know why but I sure did. Then we grow up even more and get married and start a family, well this is when my friendships seemed to slow down to almost nonexistence. I didn't try to make new friends and keeping in touch with the old ones well just seemed to take up to much time. (lame I know) Well after starting this new adventure of 40 before 40 I realized I didn't want to do this alone. I love my family but I wanted friends too.
I thought long and hard and I really don't have an answer but as i looked back on my childhood, I realized that when my parents where newly married they did a lot of things with friends. They went to a cabin in the snow, to sea ranch, camping and many other things that I have seen on very old super 8 film. Then when I was older and the rest of the kids came along that seemed to stop. All the movies were of family, now that is not bad,but i don't really remember my mom or dad saying "hey we are going out with so and so tonight." And finally now I see them going out all the time with friends from long ago and new friends. They go on trips, cruises, the movies, or just out to eat.
I have decided that I don't want to wait until my kids are grown to have close friendships again. I want my girls to know that it is great to do things with their peers even when they are parents. This all falls under my other blog about being more social. I want good friends.
So how do we get good friends. Well simple really. Find those that are like us. Good solid souls. Ones that will be there no matter what comes about. Life is always changing and we can always get new friends, but keeping the ones from that past well that is a treasure that will never fade.