Friends

"Friends are here for a reason, as season or life," right? How true....I have had some very dear friends in my life (relatively short as it is) and I have definately experienced all three of these friendship types. As a child we moved a lot...not always big moves, but as a kid, even across town can be huge. New school, new neighborhood, new church, new friends. Very seldom did I keep in touch with friends who lived outside my 3 or 4 block radius, or who didn't attend the same school or church. I didn't drive and I ususally lived in a city, so we were limited on how far we were allowed to venture out on our own. That makes it hard to keep friendships going.

As I grew older, I heard people saying that your friends in high school would be your lifelong friends. Not so with many of us. Now, those that stay in the same town might remian friends, but anyone who moves away for college or other reasons, is likely to only see their high school buds at reunions. Then college hits. Once again, you hear "the friends you make here, will be your friends for life." More true this time around, at least for me. These are the people who you choose as your friends. As a child you are very limited in your scope of the world and you probably made friends with those who were close to you by proximity. I would say that is probably typical. In jr. high and high school, we start choosing our friends a little more, but still, reasonably stuck to those who live around us or share the same class as us. College is different.

Something starts in college with you as a person. You start changing. About 95% of the time you are making your own decisions - not mom and dad. You are deciding whether to join this ogranzation or that one, whether to go to class or not, whether to talk to that person over there that you don't know. Plus, you are meeting people from all over the place, not just your town. Yes, the majority may be from your region, but you have the chance to meet people literally from all over the world. Whether we consciously realize it or not, our world is becoming bigger and bigger and our minds are opening to new ideas and new thoughts and new cultures. All this affects our friendships.

In my four years of college I met many people. One friend was wonderful and was my best friend my first year. However, our second year, the friendship faded. Still, I have wonderful memories of the times we spent as freshmen, and I am grateful to her for that friendship and the memories. Another friend is a lifer...Juliana and I met on our first day at WT - literally. We met at pre-registration and have been friends since. We have had times that we have barely spoken to each other - some that lasted almost a whole semester. We have had times that we were practically inseperable. She is one of my dearest and closest friends. She is part of the Sunset Club, named initially because of our (Brent, Julz and mine) trips to watch the sun set outside of Amarillo, now also meaning that she is part of my life till the sun sets for the final time.

I also had a roommate that I grew extremely close to over the three and a half years we lived together. She and I on surface don't have hardly a thing in common, but we have some threads that run deep. She and I go through fazes where we don't talk much or don't see each other, but I know that she is there and that she loves me and she knows the same. When we do get together, it is like time hasn't passed and we can still joke and laugh and cry about things with one another.

The other dear friend I took with me from college is a woman 10 years older than myself. She is like an older sister and a best friend at the same time. Over the years, I have looked to her for much guidance, even when she didn't know it, and I have found wisdom many times in her advice. I have shared many experiences with her that I will never forget and always cherrish. She is a rock for me and I hope I am for her.

These are the women I know are in my life for a lifetime. There are many more that I will stay in contact with over the years I am sure, but I don't know if anyone will ever become as close to my heart as these ladies. They have pulled me through the dark days and enjoyed the rays of sunshine on the beautiful ones. In turn, they have all allowed me into their lives in a manner that I can return the favor and give them that helping hand or share in the laughter of life's simple joys.

I am grateful to all my friends; those in my past, those in my present and those in my future. They lift me and help guide me and I can honestly say that with them, I am rich.