A New Friend… OFF-line!

September 20, 2007 by Kelly.

I have a new friend. She is different than the friends I’ve made over the past 10 years. I can see her smile, hug her… and only talk with her when it’s convenient for both of us. She is not a cyber-friend–I don’t even know her email address! This is an in-the-flesh friend. Other than my husband, I’ve not had a close friend for … oh, my … probably over 20 years! I sound pitiful, I know.

High school was full of friendships. I had two close girlfriends, but after high school, we seemed to drift apart. They had their lives and I had mine. Once I met my husband, he became my best friend. Any female friends I had were co-workers, neighbors, relatives, and eventually cyber-friends. The longer I stayed home, the more I relied on the Internet for interaction.

The Internet was ideal, really. It still is! I have become friends with people that I may not have otherwise associated with because of our church affiliation, employment status, or children’s ages. But all of those friendships are long-distance. I cannot invite them over for lunch, or ask them to be the emergency contact for my children. I cannot hug them, or cry on their shoulder, when the need arises. I can only write to them, and wait for a reply.

As I mentioned, my husband is my best friend. I can hug him, or cry on his shoulder, when the need arises. I can go to lunch with him and talk about anything and everything. But, my husband thinks differently than I do. He’s a man. I understand him (probably better than he understands me) but sometimes I long for a girlfriend — a best friend who’s a girl.

We’ve known these new friends for about a year, but lately we’ve been spending more time with them, planning times together outside of church (that’s where we met). Three days ago I spent a little over an hour at a coffeehouse with my new friend–just she and I–getting to know her. We’ve decided that if it weren’t for the discrepencies in our physical appearances we would be twins!

Last night at church I felt different toward her. More comfortable. This is my friend, and at the end of the evening she will still be my friend. I needed to ask her something (she works with the kids in AWANA while I attend the Pastor’s Class for Bible study, so we don’t see seach other except for before and after services) so I approached her and we talked while we walked to her room. It took a matter of minutes to discuss my question, so we parted ways. I didn’t feel obligated to make small-talk. It was comfortable, familiar.

I have a friend!

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