friendship...

I was reading about friendships between women over at Mama Belle's and it really hit home with me. Today, on my drive home, I saw all of the same school kids I usually pass on a daily basis, I love to watch these kids, the way they interact with each other. They throw caution to the wind and aren't afraid to just be themselves around each other.

There's this one group of girls who are ALWAYS laughing hysterically every single time I drive by, like they've just heard the best joke ever. I adore the way they just throw their heads back and let out those full belly laughs! They aren't afraid to be close to each other or hold hands, and are oblivious to anything else going on around them. They don't care what people think yet, all they know is that they are enjoying each other's company immensely.

Seeing them always leaves me wondering when I went from being one of those little girls with tons of friends, full of giggles and happiness, to the person that I am today. When did I forget how to laugh and have fun? When did I stop trusting other women and start keeping my distance from them? Somewhere along the way I became self-conscious about letting go with others, or maybe even self-absorbed to a certain degree, I won't deny that fact.

After living here for 6 years, I still have yet to make any real connections with other women. Oh, don't get me wrong, I have friendships with the girls at work, who are all great girls, but that pretty much stays at work. There are my terrific sister-in-law and mother-in-law, as well, and I love the time that I spend with them, but I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about. I have made some awesome friends on-line, some that I have known for almost a decade and we have been there for each other through thick and thin, but have yet to meet in person. (But I still have faith that this WILL happen!) And I can't leave out the wonderful women at church, but it seems that outside of Bible study or Sunday service everyone is just so busy these days that relationships kind of fall to the wayside....

But I miss it.

I miss true, heartfelt, emotion-filled friendship.

And I want it back in my life again, the way it was with Jan and Yolanda and Kelly and Shirlene and Juanita.... Okay some of those were from waaaaaaaaay back when, but they were tried and true and still hold a place in my heart to this day.
So where do we start when we find ourselves just a little lacking in the Girlfriend department? I think it all begins within ourselves. Like Mama Belle says, we have to be willing to take risks and do the work that it takes to be in a friendship, trusting/knowing that it's all worth it in the end.

Hope you had a great Thursday, only one more day till the weekend!

Tiff