Friends Make Life So Much Better

Despite the fact that I have no friends my own age here in Houston, I am blessed to have some neighbors that have become very close friends.  They have helped me out in a pinch, given me advice about anything and everything, constantly look out for me, and have invited me into their lives.  I'm so blessed.

I have lived here, there and everywhere and have had to learn how to make friends in new places where I didn't know but a few people.  It's hard.  Sometimes, given the city you're in, it can be even harder.  I only made one friend in Baltimore, MD, and that wasn't even someone I would honestly consider a friend.  She was more like a friendly acquaintance.  I lived in Baltimore for a year and that was long enough for me.  Other than blue crabs I never really found anything to like about living there.

When I was 21 I moved just outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  I had been talked into going to a college there by a few of my friends who were attending.  So, with my Associates Degree in hand I set off to finish my education in another land unknown.  I guess I just had this idea in my head that you could move anywhere and just settle in and make friends by osmosis or something.  Reality was a bit different.

I believe every city has a personality, and Philadelphia's was one that I had never really expected.  It was seemingly impenetrable.  I spent the first year diving into school and stumbling from church to church looking for people to be friends with.  I was friendly...I thought.  Why wasn't I making any friends?  After becoming pretty depressed about it I finally had a breakthrough.  I decided to write down everything I had been doing at church before I moved out there and what I had been doing since.  The difference between the lists showed me exactly why I was so depressed.  They looked nothing alike.

I could have spent the better part of my life waiting for someone to say hi to me after I slipped into the back pew every Sunday at church.  I just wasn't willing to wait that long anymore.  So, I moved myself up closer to the front of the church, and made sure I showed up early enough to shake hands during the greeting part of the service. 

A call went out for new choir members.  I was in.  I had to do something, and I could sing.  I'd been doing it all my life, so why not?  Somehow I got introduced to the pastor's wife, who was the choir director.  That same conversation turned into meeting about 5 new people, who all started asking me questions about who I was and asking me if I wanted to do anything else.  Kids.  So within about a half an hour I was on my way to the process for being involved in the children's ministry.  Did this really just happen?  It was like someone turned the switch to "on" saying it was a green light to talk to this "new" girl.  I went from being a back-pew nobody to being involved in everything I loved...all in one day.

Sometimes I really have to force myself out of my comfort zone to talk to someone new.  It's not always the most comfortable thing.  But like I said before, you can wait your whole life waiting for other people to take the initiative, or you could suck it up and do it yourself and see what happens.  You might find yourself surprised at the results.  I was.

Despite it's hard shell, Philadelphia turned out to be my second home.  The friends I made there became like family, and the relationships some of the most fulfilling I still have in my life.  In my 6 years living there, I not only made friends, I made honorary family.  What more could a person ask for?  My life would've been totally different now had these people not been a part of my life.

Now with this next step in life taking me to yet another new city, I'm faced with the reality that I will yet again need to put myself out there and start the process of making more new friends.  Making friends is not always easy.  Sometimes you strike out.  Some people are just a little too crazy!  Some people seem to suck the very life from your soul.  But sometimes you strike gold, and meet amazing people!  They make you a better person, and in turn, you have people to pour your love and energy into.  Friends jure make life more enjoyable (and endurable).

Here's to my friends, and to the prospect of adding more to the brood!