In writing that, the Girl Scout song comes to mind..."Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold..." but I digress.
While leaving friends makes me sad, my heart sings and I am so very grateful and blessed by the friends and memories I am fortunate enough to have accumulated through all of our moves, experiences and jobs over the years. Like a Pandora bracelet full of symbolic charms, my life's bracelet is garnished with the "BFF bead" - the friend you've known the longest, who knows you - the good, the bad, the ugly, the braces, the heartbreaks, the childhood playmate, etc. You know the one...the one person outside your family who you cannot remember not knowing. Then there are the "school mate beads", the "college beads", the "prayer warrior and women's small group beads" (or men's group or group for whatever your special interest or hobby may be) who help you grow spiritually, mentally, and emotionally to become the person you were meant to be. Then come the "professional beads," those individuals, who have mentored and advised you along and throughout your career, helping you to develop and become more polished as you maneuver the whole "life/work balance/what do I want to be when I grow up" dance. And, last but certainly not least...the "beads" gathered from each city you've lived. Sometimes these "beads" come into your life through a job you worked, a group you were involved with, a Zumba class you took, through a friend of a friend, or just living next door and/or across the street.
For me, my Pandora/friendship bracelet of life includes precious "beads" added from my hometown, schools attended, six cities in four states, seven jobs, two professional associations, and six women's small groups. Thank goodness for email, social media and Skype!
Through all my moves and "first days on the job," I discovered that making new friends is the toughest part of the transition. People are so busy these days, it's hard to find time for the friends you have, let alone squeeze in time to make new ones. In addition, by the time we're adults, our walls are up and we tend to be a little apprehensive and jaded when it comes to friendships and letting new people in (let's face it, by this time, we've been both on the receiving and delivering end of being wounded - many times over).
It was so much easier when you little. Not only did you get recess, snack and nap times, if you saw someone new or sitting alone, all you had to do was walk up to them and ask "Want to be my friend?" and the friendship was forged and the deal was sealed, per se...
I cherish my "friendship bracelet" - the one accessory that never goes out of style. I take it out often, especially recently, and remember and acknowledge each bead as I look at pictures or recall a memory that results in a smile, laugh or head shake. "Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold..."
