Friends

Look what's hanging out in our garden! A frog came and decided to make his home in a potted plant on the back porch. He's been there for several days. Apparently he was just staking out the place for both him and his mate. Now there are two large frogs living in the potted plant.

Sometimes things are better with someone than by ourselves.

Last night, my friend Gina came over. I had been feeling antisocial when she texted me about my plans that night. I was in sweats, enjoying a cup of tea by a warm fire, and I did not want to leave it. I'd had a long day at work, and sitting at home was the only thing that felt perfect. So I told her I couldn't come over.

But then I thought about it.

I didn't have to leave my home. Suddenly, some company sounded really good. And Gina is such a great friend to gab with and be real with. So I quickly texted her back and asked her over to my house. She came, bearing gifts of wine and cheese. And we spent the next several hours just enjoying pure girl talk, full of laughter and catching up. It was the perfect end to the day.

I tend to be a loner by choice. I love alone time. But I also get consumed by it. I make excuses about being able to do things because I have kids. That's my excuse. I can't come over because I have kids. Most of my friends do NOT have kids. And to go out can be difficult when you have kids. But there is nothing stopping me from inviting my friends here.

My sister has a friend who really is a single mother in all senses of the word. I'm lucky because I have two parents who I live with who help me to care for the kids. My sister's friend lives in her own apartment with a toddler and no real help in babysitting. But she holds a "girls' night" once a week at her house so that she doesn't lose her socializing time. Her life did not end because she had kids. She doesn't let life get in the way of life.

Friends are important. They help us grow. I thank God for my friends, for their support and love of me, even though my life tends to be on an entirely different scope than theirs. Being alone can be good. It can be very fulfilling. But life without friends, that's a really lonely way to exist.

Life is full of planning. And when we plan, it's our lives that we are ultimately planning for. But, it's better to stake out peices of this world with plans to enjoy it with others. When it comes down to it, would you rather be a lonely frog in a potted plant, or a frog with a friend to share it with?