and just as I was beginning to lose hope...

I have a weekly knitting group I go to. (Stitch and Bitch is what it's called but I don't call it that because I don't want the children picking up on the word bitch.) Remember in the last post, I mentioned I had some leads on kindred spirits? Well, two of them go to my knitting group. With the exception of this past week, knitting group has an interesting dynamic. All of the women there are either ten years younger or ten years older than me. I've gotten quite attached to two of the women who are ten years older than me.

Another lead on a kindred spirit is this woman who does this sort of mail order cooperative natural foods thing from her house. She is into music, and morris dancing, and healthy living. When we picked up our order from her months ago, she and I just chatted and chatted.

Well, guess who walked into knitting group on Monday? The natural food lady! Also she brought with her a woman who has much in common with me children/parenting wise. Now of course, I can be friends with anyone, but it is nice when parenting values match up. Plus this woman has kids (six kids ranging in ages from 14 months to 20 years!) my kids ages.

So now while I'm full of possible leads on friends. I still have to work at it. You know, follow up on phone calls, respond to emails, just basically show up. While I have resolved to myself that I won't be the only person holding up a friendship anymore (and in doing that have found so much peace!), I still have to do my part. Saturday the natural foods lady is having this open house thing so the Artist and I are going to go over there and help her for a few hours. Provided we are not still sick. (Right now the Artist is very sick and I don't feel so well myself.) I'm also thinking I might see if a few of the group from knitting club would like to come over for dinner.

Friendship isn't just something a person is good at or not good at. Anyone can be a friend. Anyone can be a good friend. It just takes the minimum of effort and it is worth it. I just have to remember that in the beginning a friendship takes a little bit more tending to make it grow.