I’m very excited to again this week join a talented group of women who connect each Friday in an online, unedited flash mob free write based on a one-word prompt from our fearless leader Kate Motaung. My timer is set for 5 minutes; let’s see where the word “friend” takes me.

Wow! Once again, it’s as if Kate has peeked into my journal or listened in during my quiet time. “Friends” has been a recurring theme for some time now.

For a myriad of reasons of circumstances

  • kids graduating from high school — many of my most wonderful friendships were with moms of teammates, friends, etc.
  • moving almost an hour away to build a house and raise cows & chickens
  • becoming a widow
  • moving another 90 minutes away to the city to start a new job
  • moving back home but commuting 2 hours each way to that job
as well as things I could/should have done differently, I find myself with acquaintances and one or two quasi-friends and a larger number of Facebook friends (who I hold very dear) but no real friends. 

And oh, how my heart longs for friends. 

Friends who . . . 
  • share common values, but not necessarily beliefs
  • are available, who aren’t incredibly busy, with no time left for friendships
  • like to do things — travel (inexpensively), play cards or board games, go to sporting events, browse the local shops just for the fun of it, etc. — and even try new things
  • don’t have to always be doing something or talking about something 
But more importantly, friends . . .
  • with whom I can share openly and honestly and who know they can do the same
  • who understand 
  • with whom I can laugh until I cry
  • with whom I can share a few tears of sorrow and who feel comfortable doing the same
I read an article once about a lady who longed for over 15 years for what she called “book club — possibly even without a book club — friends.” I knew just what she meant. She wasn’t so much looking for monthly or weekly discussions about a book; she was searching for community.

As I age, I often feel the need to hurry, that time is precious and that I don’t have so much that I can dilly-dally about finding what my heart searches for.

Friends.