Friendship: a precious thing

One thing I loved about travelling back to Palmerston North was the fact that I got to hang out with friends. It had felt like an age since I had had a coffee and chatted with a close friend. I realised that that is what I am missing in Auckland. Don't get me wrong, I do have friends up here but the difference is that I am starting over.

I have been thinking about my firends a lot lately. My buddies in Palmy have such a long histroy with me. We all married at the same time, have had kids together and shared many ups and downs. With my friend Jen, we have cried and laughed and prayed together for years. Even though we hadn't seen each other for a long time and hadn't always been good at emailing, it felt like we had always been together. I miss that kind of history. My friends in Ecuador are the same. We have shared so much together that, even now, we don't have to say some things yet they have already been heard. Does that make sense?

I am missing that kind of freedom and relationship. It's hard work having to build up relationships again, trying to begin a history, trying to establish that kind of freedom in sharing. It is beginning little by little. I am enjoying the Woman's Bible study group on a Monday morning. Each week I see the same people and we are learning together and praying for each other but it is still at the "hi, how was your week?" stage. It is hard to break through and be intimate. I guess I just have to lead by example but I have to admit to that getting rather tiring at times.

I know deep friendships will come but they take time and a lot of energy. Some days I just can't be bothered trying.