Always

My friend Sarah posted this recently on her blog. She suggested that we respond on our blogs and since I really loved her post I decided to respond on my blog.

Recently I was cleaning out my toy box...which has now turned into my scrap book box...probably the equivalent to a hope chest I guess. But that is what I have always called it...anyway...I came across a lot of letters written to me...some from family and some from friends. I read through most of them, and the memories came flooding back. Many of the letters were from friends that I have not seen in over ten years. But as I read them, the feelings of friendship were right there on the surface...so clear and poignant. I missed those friends. I would so badly love to see some of those people again: Brooke Eaton, Jenny Dolphin, Angie Dodge, Stephanie Thomas, Keith Peterson, Dan Gleason, Steve Pyka...those are just a handful of friends from long ago...who they were to me has never diminished.

Just because I stop socializing with someone does not mean that our friendship is less than it was at it's peak. On the outside it may appear that we have grown apart, or completely forgotten one another, but that is not true at all. A few weeks ago I started making a list of some of the most influential people in my life. On that list was my friend Emy. I had dinner with her parents recently and mentioned that she was on that list. My mom asked how I could possibly remember her since it had been so long since we had been friends...but Emy Cannon and Katie Thayer were probably my first good friends. I would never forget them. I may never get to see them again (well I do keep tabs on Emy via her blog), but I will never forget the impact that they had on my life.

What I have come to learn about those friendships is to really appreciate what we had, remember the life lessons learned from our friendship, cherish the great times we had, and just know that regardless of distance and time, I will always call them (and so many others) friends.

Sarah mentioned meeting someone and hoping, upon first meeting, that a friendship would develop. That has happened to me a handful of times throughout my life, and with deep gratitude I am thrilled to say that the odds have tended to be on my side. :) However, last night...the odds were not in my favor, and that first meeting, was also a last. Friday evening I attended a showing of Twilight. We arrived a few minutes early and while waiting for the movie to begin I befriended the girl sitting next to me. Her name is Jenny. In that first moment of meeting I knew that given the chance, she and I would be great friends. Unfortunately, a movie theatre is not the best place to start a friendship and Jenny and I may never get a chance to be movie going pals. But we chatted about Twilight and Harry Potter, and sharing arm rests with strangers in theatres and it was like we were already friends. So if anyone knows a girl named Jenny who saw the 10:45pm showing of Twilight on Friday November 21, 2008 at the Megaplex 12 Theatre at the Gateway mall in Salt Lake City, Utah...I believe she was with her mother and her sister...let me know...because I would love to be friends with her. And I think she would love to see a midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince with my friend Erin and my sister Kelli...I hope that is ok with you two ;)

Fortunately there are others who I have been given the opportunity to build friendships with...Katie Paxon, Tina Romero, Mary Amato, Anya Hillstead, Brad Scow, Ashley Huffaker, Jeremy Walker, Rebecca Fischer, Sarah Davies, Amy Bowmen, Courtney Nichole Ruttenbur...to name a handful :) I was able to learn so much from each of them and they helped my life for the better.

Sarah also posed the question Why do we care more about some people than others? I have always wondered that myself. It is not as if anyone is less important than another, but some friends, some friendships...they are just more important to me. I miss them more when they move away, or life changes occur which separate us...and others...I miss them too, but it isn't the same. I think it has everything to do with the connection you make with someone. It isn't an issuing of caring about someone more than another...but the connection that you have with them.

I think that serving people does allow us to love them more...but as most people know...I don't think we can help who we love...we are naturally drawn to people for so many reasons that we may have no conscious control over...but it is our choice to continue a friendship with them, and through the continued contact and interaction we grow to love them more...and I do think that serving them increases our love for sure.

Well Sarah...and everyone else who read this...I hope that was what you were looking for in a response...maybe it was more, and completely not what you were looking for, but thank you for the inspiration.