One is Silver and the Other Gold

I have several really close friends, a ton of good friends, and a million acquaintances. My besties are those that I talk to regularly. And by regularly, I mean at least once a month. I’ve grown up with them either from childhood or through young adulthood. No matter the space and time, we pick up where we left off.

I have childhood friends and college friends, work friends and friends I don’t see too often, but when we are together it never feels like it’s been as long as it has been. These are the people who love you for you. They know you. They know “how you are” and love you anyway. They razz you and take a razzing, but all the while laughing because none of us are perfect. We celebrate our triumphs and our short-comings. There is nothing better than a weekend of good food, good drinks, and laughter.

Making new friends as adults can be daunting. An old friend of mine recently said that when she moved back home, she told her husband she wanted to live in the same neighborhood they lived in years before. Her reasoning was that she didn’t want to have to try to make new friends, but be close to her old friends. That made sense to me. While I have met a few of my neighbors where I live now….it’s only been through Facebook or while walking. I’ve lived here for over two years.

I have never had trouble making friends, but as I get older I’m definitely looking for quality over quantity. I have good friends that I met through work, but I don’t consider them my work friends because we almost never see each other at work. We go out and eat and drink together monthly (we try to make it happen monthly), but most importantly we laugh and we trust each other. That trust is built on vulnerability. Vulnerability is sharing things about yourself. Real things. Standing in your truth. These are my “newest” friends. I knew they were my people the first time I went out with them years ago.

Adult friendships, especially for women, are so important. It’s even more important to have a tribe of women who have your back. Who understand you and your life. Who know when you need an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on. That’s why it never hurts to make new friends.