Friendships: Some are silver, the other gold

Friends.  They are all unique and they are all so very special. My motto is friends are the family you chose.  If you have a great family, like I do, consider yourself lucky, not everyone has this, but friends are different.  Friends are chosen, and yes friendships come and go, sometimes you lose a good one and look back and wish you would have put more into that friendship, sometimes you lose a bad one and there is no love lost.  Friendships are like any other relationship, you have to nurture them for them to flourish.

I have many friendships that I cherish. I do not have a ton of friends, but the ones I do have I try to maintain.  There are my 2 best friends, Taylor and Shelley.  Shelley is my friend who I can talk to about anything and she will bring me down to earth when needed, or encourage me if needed.  Fights with the husband, pregnancy or mommy issues, you name it, we can discuss it.  Shelley and I met in middle school, but really started becoming close in high school. We were college room mates and our friendship is tried and true. I call her almost daily on my way home from work and although it has been several years since we lived super close, for about a year now she has lived states away in New Jersey. We don't get to see each other often, but our friendship does not miss a beat.  Then, there is Taylor, my other besty who I have been very tight with since Kindergarden. Her, Shelley and I used to call ourselves, "3 deep in the jeep". Yes, I drove a jeep. We got in trouble together, we played sports together, we did everything together. Taylor has always been the care free one, the funny one who will lift you up when you need it.  She always see's the glass half full and although opposite schedules have kept us from visiting and chatting as much as we should, our friendship will last forever without a doubt.

Then, there are new friends.  Friends I have met as neighbors, friends I have met through work and those friendships are growing leaps and bounds.  There are the ones who you can trust with anything. Who do not judge you, who you know do not speak ill of you, who would do anything for you.  Those are the ones you hope your kids grow up together, who you want to grow with as adults, as couples, as parents.  There are the other friends who you have fun with, who may like to gossip so you have to watch your tongue, but who you know don't mean anything by it and that is just them.  There are other friends who your relationship hasn't taken those big steps yet, but you enjoy your time together and sometimes may even wish you could build them deeper.  Friendship comes in all shapes and sizes.

Friendship takes work and to be honest, time is limited. Very limited. You have to pick and chose your friendships carefully. As a wife and mommy who works full time, my time is extremely valuable. My family is close by and a lot of free time is spent with them as well, so the time I do have to spend with my friends is limited.  I try to make it to the important things and even step out of my comfort zone to attend things I am not really looking forward to attending.  Sometimes there are friendships you would like to grow deeper and you just don't make the time or have the time, but for those friendships that have already proven to be valuable, maintain them, nurture them and they will never stop growing.

I am so grateful for the friendships I have.  For the friendships that go years back and have so much history.  For the friendships that are just starting and you know you will make history with.  For the friendships that you will keep in touch with throughout the years, but never truly grow into.  For the friendships that are made through blogging :) and instagram pictures.  For the friendships with my family, my husband and my children which are by far my most important friendships.

As the old song goes...

Make new friends, but keep the old, some are silver, the other gold.