On Friends

Have you ever met anyone that you feel like you've known forever?  Someone that "gets you"- simple as that?  Today I met up with an "old friend"- actually I've known her for over 2 years, but we've never been able to sync schedules until today.  I enjoyed our hike and conversation a lot and I realized how precious having an old/new friend is. 

I believe life delivers friends to us when we need them.  There always is a reason for their visit and a plan for their stay.

*Sometimes we need an "in the moment" friend- say someone who is standing in line at a grocery store who strikes up a conversation about what a great wallet we have.  Maybe we needed them at that moment to give us a confidence builder.  Or simply to make us remember that strangers are often kind people.

*Sometimes we are delivered a "short-term" friend, who comes into our life, then moves on.  This person might be a friend you meet at a part-time job, who ends up going to coffee with you on a bad day- or the woman who used to trim your hair- you could talk to her and not worry that your conversation would go beyond the salon.

*Sometimes life gives us the "forever friend".  This person can pop into your life at anytime, and you will have them forever.  These are the friends that you can call whenever you need them and they will listen, advise, make you laugh or beat you up for having too much self-pity.  They know your life, your choices, and your faults.  They may fade in and out of your life, but they'll always be just a phone call or email away- and you'll pick up right where you left off.

While fate has a plan, I hope that my new/old friend gets added to my collection of 'forever friends'- she'd be a great addition.