The Year of Friends

The best time to make friends is before you need them. – Ethel Barrymore

If there’s one term that I think is overused but I’m not exactly what other word to use, would be “seasons” – as in the seasons in life, the periods or times in our life that just change as we do.

Those seasons aren’t just about getting older because we can experience multiple seasons in just one year – to be labeled the year of chaos.  I remember that one year I was trying to avoid corporate life so I traveled about every month seeing friends and going on vacations.  Then followed the year of building up a business and being self-employed that I was in survival mode so all I did was work and save money.  Then there was the season when I got married and moved temporarily to Albuquerque for 4 months so I juggled the newly married life with a new city until we permanently moved back to Phoenix.

I am living and enjoying a great season right now.  I have felt an abundance of peace as I’ve slowed down on chasing after business, closed down my Facebook personal account, gotten the hang of the marriage thing (still learning), joined a great church, in fellowship with others, and it feels so amazing.  I’m trying really hard to be a better friend, to nurture my long time friendships, step up when I can, and spend less time on me, and more time on them.  Now, this doesn’t mean I’m a super amazing friend right now, so forgive me if I’ve failed, I just know that I have more time to be one, which the saying goes, there’s no better time to make friends before you actually need them.  Right now, I’m just working on the same ones I’ve had to remind them that I love them and that’s really what being a friend is about – being there.  I’ve also lessened my expectations on friendships because I understand the seasons I went through and the seasons my gf’s are going through.

My friend’s lives don’t revolve around my birthday, my life, or what I need.  Taking away demands and simply enjoying people and knowing they will be there at the drop of a hat (and also understanding when they simply can’t), that’s what’s amazing about getting older.  You already go through many seasons of change, but even through them all, your real friends are still there, and even though you’ve changed a little over time, the foundation of your friendship has never been shaken.  And sometimes, if given the time old friendships that just needed a little watering can bloom again.

And oldie but goodie taken years ago when one of my girlfriends got married, this was us on the dance floor singing to each other.

Diana Elizabeth always talks about moving but she isn’t sure if she ever could because of her friendships, just like family.