Small Town

In a small town you always know “who is who” or at least you think you do. Most of us met at church, pre-school, kindergarten or middle school. We are all pretty much acquaintances around here. I categorize a lot of friendships, Child Hood Friends, Friends Who Are Like Family, Old Bad Friends, Church Friends, Work Friends, Ranch Friends, Best Friends… etc. I have a tender heart and I have always treated my friends as family. It took me going through a lot of hard lessons to figure out not everyone is meant to be in your life permanently. Usually when a friendship has run its course I’m already done with it and feel relieved to be able to cut that tie. There are very few people in my life that I miss or let back around if they have done me wrong. I am genuinely fascinated with people. I like to people watch and there is nothing I love more than someone who can keep up with me in a good conversation. I have long been the person everyone calls with a secret, for a heart to heart or for some “tough love” advice. To the dismay of my Parents I have surrounded myself with about every type of person I could find since I was a child. Being around a variety of people got me into a lot of messes and it also gave me a unique perspective. Although I’m not proud of the situations I got myself into. I sure did have a lot of fun. The life experiences I have had and the lessons I learned are invaluable. I sometimes think “should of, could of, would of” and I do at times wish I could go back. But I have to say that learning those lessons as an adolescent are much better than learning them as an adult. As much as I admire the people who planned for their future even as a kid. I have a bit of a wild streak and have had to learn how to find my adventures in better ways. I had a talk with a very good friend the other day who told me her circle was very small but since going through a hard time it was teeny. I thought about that a lot. I then realized that I am a friend collector. I have a trusted friend to call for about every situation. None of these people have much in common. What they have done though is earn my trust. Love, loyalty and respect are at the very top of my list of friendship traits. I pride myself on being the same. I believe all you really have in this life is your faith and your word. If you aren’t a person of integrity then you don’t have much at all. So how do we handle our friendships when we are all swimming around in the same little small town fish bowl? 
•Distant Friends: Sometimes we just grow apart. We have different beliefs and different lifestyles. We no longer align. We walk different paths and when those paths cross we will say “hey how have you been?”. We are happy for each other. We love from afar. 
•Lifetime friends: There are some friends I never call and hardly ever get to see. Some of them live right down the road and others have moved away to different states. But when I see you I’m going to run across the room and give you a giant hug or maybe just jump right into your lap! Nothing ever changes between us. You just pick right back up where you left off. These no drama and low maintenance friendships are to be treasured. 
•People who really did you wrong: I don’t know you! You don’t know me! Keep walking! Well that might not be the most Christian thing for me to say but it’s the truth. It’s self-preservation and plain o’l common sense. I leave you alone and you leave me alone. 
“If you want to see your future just look at your friends.” So be careful and surround yourself with people who encourage and inspire you. If someone is trying to drag you down just cut them loose. I don’t consider myself a perfect person in any sort of way. I’m working toward my own personal goals. But how will I ever reach those goals if I’m not surrounded by positive people. The people who want only the best for me. “If you can’t grow with me! You can’t go with me!” 
•Family friends: These people have become your family. Your adopted, aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings. Some of my closest family members are the ones that don’t even share my blood. 
•Best friends: They know all your ups and downs. All your crazy parts. All your flaws. All those broken pieces and tender parts of your big heart. They know what you look like when you wake up, how big your temper is when you lose it and how hard you can cry when you get let down. The people you can just talk with for hours about nothing. They let you just be your goofy self. They love you for who you are. Is there anything more beautiful than that? 
Small town living. Where you can hear a different rumor about yourself every week. Where you remember someone for how they were the last time you hung out with them 15 years ago. Where you can’t live down that crazy story. Where everyone is an expert on everyone else. But then again maybe we aren’t. So say hi, smile, give hugs, love your family and make some more memories with your best friends. Accept that apology, then wish them well and send them on their way. Forgive but never forget my Darlins. If you have bad intentions then you just keep walking and if I’m mad at you? Trust me…. you would know.