Building Friendships

I think making friends with people as an adult is quite the challenge. I have a handful of very close friends that I met 5+ years ago at work, but they all live in San Diego and I'm now in L.A. I have one girlfriend who I've known for 15+ years, she's amazing, but lives change and so we don't see eachother all the time; however when we do, it's all good times like no time has passed. Of course there are a couple of amazing friends I've met through this blog actually. Unfortunately, those people also live quite far too.

I'm not saying it's hard to be friends, I'm saying it's hard being in a new city and breaking into new groups of already established friendships. I'm talking about real life, heart to heart, deep connection friendships. I've met some wonderful girls here in L.A. since I moved back just over a year ago. Young women who have invited me along and included me in all sorts of cool stuff. "THANKS! You know who you are!". Young women who are successful, fun, kind; and yet, those friendships seem to grow only enough to know each other on a basic level, but not enough for a lifetime bond type of friendship. I've also met some girls who I really connect with on a spiritual level; like Judaism is a thing that connects us, but other than that, we're quite on opposite spectrums of life. Which, by the way, is not a bad thing. I like that friendships are diverse and multifaceted.

Part of building those friendships is really stepping outside my own comfort zone and putting myself out there. I was at a get together recently and was chatting with a cool chick, the friend of a friend, who wanted to see a movie I also wanted to see, so I suggested we go. I think the movie plan is still on, but does that make me a friend hijacker?

I'm not sure what made me think of this blog this morning; however, I think many people can relate to it. As a grown up we tend to have our ways, our interests, our "stuff" already and finding friends, or significant others even, is a challenge and actually takes real heartfelt concerted effort. Lives are busy, money is tight, work leaves us tired and dragging. Unlike when we were kids. As kids, we could walk up to any strange fellow kid, smile, and say, "Let's play". Ummm, out in L.A., walking up to an adult and saying "Let's Play" just has oh so many bad connotations. :)