Flashback Friday - Life long friends

The other day a co-worker of mine asked me if I still keep in touch with any of my friends in high school. For me that answer is absolutely! Not very many of them, but I do have some that I do. I have two good friends who have been around for 15 years or more.

Buffy I have known since we were about 5, so about 25 years or so. I don’t ever remember not knowing her, I just have the knowledge that I didn’t always. She is probably one of the few people I have never had a disagreement with. But our relationship is odd. As long as I can remember we hang out in spurts. We would hang out a lot and then suddenly stop for a while. We didn’t have any tension or disagreements of any sort. We just took a break for a while. It is like that still. But I always know that if I need someone to talk to she is there. We often talk about some similarities between our husbands, especially in temperament, which we find very interesting.

Angela I met in high school. At the end of our junior year we became nearly inseparable and I started referring to her as my other hip. She has basically been an additional sister and is part of the family. On the flip side of that, I am part of her family as well. I was over for dinner one night when they had the missionaries over and he introduced me to them as his adopted daughter. Anyone who knows Angela’s dad knows this is not a common occurance. I know that I could go to her parent’s house anytime still and be welcomed right in. One of the funniest things is her teenage sister, Leah, has asked for my help on several occasions, such as getting ready for a dance and dying her hair. She got married several years before I did and got pregnant pretty close to right away so we have not been able to hang out as much as we would really like to since then and her living out of state does not help much either.

These two friends are a very small sample of people who have truly made a HUGE impact on my life and I could go on and on.

And to those I consider a friend, thank you for being in my life!

Change is good...right?

Recently, a friend of mine from work put in her notice. Her last day is Friday next week. I'm not surprised that she has found another job, she has a lot on her plate, and she almost left a year ago. I am definitely going to miss her, even though I don't see her near as often as I used to.

Before they combined my jobs, her office was right next to mine, in the old and new buildings. In the old building we were tucked away in a corner, just off the conference room. I was the only person within earshot at least half the time once she moved in. I was able to talk to her without even getting out of my chair and we built a pretty good relationship. We worked on a lot of projects together and we were both the only one in the company in our positions. I knew that if I was having a problem I could go to her and trust that it would remain with her. Of course, so did everyone else and she frequently had someone come sit in her office for that purpose.

We are not as close as we once were, due to a lot of factors. Unfortunately, not being within earshot has a lot to do with that. I hope she keeps in touch, especially since her new job will literally be a block away from my office. However, experience tells me it will likely not be the case. The majority of the time when people leave the agency they do not keep in touch, and if they do it is very minimal.

So, I could go on and on but the bottom line is change happens. We have people come into our lives and sometimes they stay, sometimes they don't - no matter how important they are in our life. Life goes on and we build new relationships. I have copied a poem that describes it perfectly. Just wanted to share.

A reason, A season, A lifetime

People come into our life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you figure out which it is, you will know exactly what to do.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spirtually. They may seem like a Godsend, and they are. They are there for the reason you need then to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die, Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fullfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. BELIEVE IT!!!! It is real!! But, only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; those you should build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (anyway), and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

~Author Unknown