Growing up, my family moved every few years. I always dreaded that first day in a new school. I was terribly shy and worried about who I would sit with at lunch. It always worked out and when it did, I can clearly remember that glorious feeling of making a new friend. I’ve made many friends since those grade school days but it wasn’t until recently that I experienced that joyous feeling — the feeling of relief on the first day in a new place, knowing that it’s going to be okay.
I am blessed to have so many wonderful friends in my life. Friends all over the United States that I met through school and work. College friends, sorority sisters, neighbors, church friends, girl scout friends, parents of my children’s friends, even friends I made on the internet by being a Skimmbassador. http://theskimm.com/?r=05119132 (Shameless plug!)
I lost my best friend and that has rocked my world in unimaginable ways. Coupled with my recent move, I’ve been lonelier than ever. While I no longer worry about who to eat lunch with, I am on my own in a new place. My friends are only a phone call or text away but I miss having my best friend to have dinner with and to talk about our days, among other things. Facebook, FaceTime, and lunch dates are great but it’s not the same. It will never be the same.
Yet my friendships are stronger than ever and I could not be more grateful.. While my besties (pictured here) are my lifelong friends that know me better than anyone, my neighbor friends are in a special class of their own. These are the friends that jump into action at the first moment of need. We cook for each other; we run errands for each other; we have coffee together; we drink wine together on our decks; we play Bunco religiously every month; we work out together; we have dinner parties; we attend funerals and weddings and graduations together; we travel together. A few of them are going to bartend for me at my upcoming black tie anniversary party. I love them so. We are a community.
Why in the world did I move away from such a wonderful neighborhood where I have such an incredible support network of friends? Whoever buys my home in Oswego is in for a treat and I’m not even charging extra for the amazing friends they are going to meet.
So when I met a new friend earlier this week, a friend just one floor below me, I felt that same excitement as I did after my first day of fourth grade in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Mind you, I have not met this new neighbor in person but as soon as I read her bio we briefly chatted over Facebook messenger. Now I cannot wait for her to move in. Like me, she is a single, empty nester career woman with college kids. And according to her Instagram she is a foodie and wine lover. Sounds like a match made in heaven, right?
While I love my new building, I would guess the average owner is around 75 and retired. OK – I’m exaggerating and I have nothing against older friends – in fact, I really enjoyed meeting many neighbors at the holiday party and one older gentleman planted the idea of a progressive dinner party for everyone in the “C/D Tier” and I’m all over that! However, when I think of my closest friends I think about girlfriends that I can call in a pinch – ones that will drink wine with me while I cry about how unfair it is to be a widow at age 53; friends that will never tire of me sharing stories of Rick. So you can imagine my excitement to be able to find a new friend my age in my new neighborhood with some common interests.
If she reads this I hope she won’t be creeped out by my instant womance (that is the female version of bromance by the way) and I hope she doesn’t feel pressured to live up to the high standards that my Gates Creek gals have set. Who knows… when we meet, one of us may decide there is just no chemistry for a womance but for now, I am excited by the possibility. And if things work out, I can call my mom and say, “Guess what mom! I made a new friend!”
