The first I have opened is Friends for the Journey; Two extraordinary women celebrate friendships made and sustained through the seasons of life. Long title but descriptive of something I long for. Once married it can be so easy to rely on that best of friendships to sustain us alone. Yet, that's not fair for either spouse. Living a rather transient lifestyle for the past nearly ten years now (I haven't settled in one place for more than 18 months) I recognize the difficulty in sustaining friendships through the seasons of life. I have let so many dear friends slip away as I prioritize again and again for the immediate; the demands of life that stand up and shout. As a young mom I often feel I am merely keeping my nose above water, and don't put enough committed energy into nurturing lifesaving relationships. So, to those of you that may describe I apologize. (Let's reconnect!)
Ben laughed when he looked over my shoulder the other night and saw me doing something uncharacteristic - writing a list of New Year's resolutions. I know, I know, evidence is against them often truly changing people but somehow the very act of sitting and figuring out what I would like to change, where I would like to grow given the opportunity, was centering in and of itself. Two of the items on my list had to do with this topic of friendship. One was to simply write back and forth monthly with my close friends. The other was merely to relearn how to be a good friend. So, here's to 2011 and the strengthening of old friendships and the building of new ones!
