Wanted: A Circle of Friends

I talked to my girlfriend in Delaware today to wish her a happy birthday and she was preparing for her "stamp club" buddies to arrive. These ladies get together on a regular basis to rubber stamp and have a blast. While we were talking, I could hear people arriving and I knew a couple of the women there and it made me miss the social life I once had.

There's something really special about being part of an Air Force flying squadron. People develop very close, tight-knit relationships. I especially loved that about our spouses' group. I suppose it was partially because we were all in the same boat. Our husbands (for most of us) were gone and we longed for understanding and a sense of belonging, so we naturally gravitated toward one another.

I had the great fortune of being part of a group of six women who got together once a week for coffee, gossip and therapy. Little did I know it was the best therapy around, especially now that I no longer have that in my life. I've never laughed or cried so much in my life as I did during the times spent with these incredibly wonderful women. These ladies were the sisters I never had and I loved each of them dearly. They each brought something very unique to our circle of friendship and I learned a lot from our times together. These ladies were strong and capable, yet often vulnerable and sometimes fragile. We shared so much of our lives - from our kids to TDYs to PCS moves and everything in between.

If I have any creativity at all, I'd venture to say it's because of these talented ladies. They each had special gifts - scrapbooking, quilting, rubber stamping, poetry, floral design, painting, party planning... You name it and they could do it! I knew where to turn when I needed a creative idea, and most of the time, my girlfriends would pitch in and help me accomplish my task.

These ladies lifted my spirits when my husband was deployed. They showed up for my sons' birthday party, helped out in my husband's absence and comforted me when my oldest was clobbered and given a black eye during the "happy" event (That's deserves a whole blog by itself). They watched my kids when I was sick. They helped me decorate my house for the spouses' Christmas party. They entertained me, listened to me, cared for me, fed me (probably too much) and welcomed me. They were great times I will always hold dear to my heart.

Life is ever-changing though. Our circle of friendship has changed too. I've moved away, as have a couple of other girlfriends. Two of our girlfriends' husbands have retired from the military. We'll likely never be in the same place at the same time again. That makes me a little sad sometimes, but that's reality.

I have friends here, but it's a different atmosphere altogether. Living near our nation's capitol is awesome in many ways, but the "busy-ness" of our lives and the fact that we aren't associated with a tight-knit group of people, has made me realize even more how blessed I was to have had that circle of friends in my life. We have old friends who live nearby, but because we're so busy with our kids' activities and my husband is doing the daily commute to the city and back, we don't often have time for anything else.

I have a couple of girlfriends I occasionally meet individually for coffee or lunch, and perhaps a little shopping if time allows, and I always look forward to and enjoy those times very much. My husband and I have become involved in our Sunday school class at church and there are the occasional socials we attend, which are fun as well. I guess I just miss the camaraderie found in a small, intimate circle of friends. The conversation, the laughter (and sometimes tears), the creative outlet... Will I ever find that again? I sure hope so.