Making new friends is not easy. I don’t mean casual friends that you see every once in a while. I mean friends who you call and make an effort to hang out with, and when you haven’t seen them in a while you miss their company. A real friend brings makes a contribution to your life that no one else could make. That is a hard thing to find. However, I made a new friend this week, and it blows my mind how these things come together. I usually make friends with people who are opposite from me, which I always think is strange, but somehow it just works. Honestly, I’ve never been one of those people who tries to be friends with everyone because reality does not allow that and no one has time for a million friends anyway. I try to be myself as much as possible, and if I happen to form a connection with someone then that is great. I don’t make a huge effort to befriend anyone who doesn’t seem concerned with me. That may sound selfish, but it is just my way of weeding people out. I don’t want friendship from anyone who doesn’t want it from me. A lot of people fall into the acquaintance category, and the difference is that those relationships are never consistent. Another way I weed people out is when the interaction with them feels too forced. Now there have been several relationships that I worked hard for, but none of them were meant to last because they didn’t. If I have to work really hard to be friends with someone then it is either not worth it OR it is because they need my friendship for that time. Sometimes God brings people in your life for a short time because you need it or they need it and it is best to see that through.
I don’t know why I’m writing this except that I have been thinking about my friendships today and how different they all are. Each one is unique and irreplaceable. Being in a new place makes me wonder how I could make new friends who are as great as the ones I already have. Maybe I won’t. Maybe the friends I make will be few and for very specific reasons, or maybe I’ll make at least one lasting friendship that changes my life. Maybe I’ll change the way I approach making friends. A lot of maybe’s. I guess time will give me the answer.
.jpg)
