BFFs

I have read, and reread, a wonderful book over the past two weeks. It's called MWF seeking BFF, by Rachel Bertsche. The book is about the author's search for a best friend. After moving to Chicago with her husband, the author misses her bffs in New York. She has a few acquaintances, but no one she can really call a best friend. Thus begins her year-long search for a local bff.

Rachel's stories of meeting new people, and learning to make friends as an adult, are funny and poignant at the same time. She also mixes in plenty of research-based facts that support her ideas and theories that drive her search.

The book made me really think about my own friendships.

Most of my deepest, truest friends were made when I was in school. I have often said that my best friend during my growing-up years was my brother. He was the one who always stood by me, and believed that I could do things even I didn't think I could. (This odd belief inspired me to go out for track my senior year -- which lasted for two days.) My two best-friends-from-birth (since they were born just two months before me, and I really don't remember a time without them) are still my friends, although I rarely see them and only visit with them via facebook. Speaking of facebook, I've been able to reconnect with several friends I made in my elementary years that I haven't seen since my family moved in 6th grade. I think my closest friends were made during my college years. Even though we often disagreed about a lot of things, this group of friends still remain the closest group of friends I have (though most of them I only visit through facebook).

The book also struck a chord with me in that I, too, have lived in my present location for 5 years, but have not made a lot of close friends. It's hard to make close friends when moving into a small town. Everyone already has their group or clique, many of them having been friends since birth -- or at least kindergarten. Also, it's my husband's hometown, so I get the feeling that everyone expects me to already know them. I don't.

I do have friends. Most of my friends either attend my church or are parents of kids the same age as mine. But I think I'm still seeking my bff, the best friend forever to whom I can run to or call at all hours of the night.

Let me also mention that although the author of the book talks about her brother, she doesn't have one special friend that I do have -- my sisters-in-law. No, God did not bless me with sisters. He must have known that I would need sisters later on in life! :) I have four fabulous sisters-in-law who are truly my sisters and my friends.

So, while I am going to reread Rachel's book (again) and think about new ways to make -- and keep -- friends, I feel blessed to have met many wonderful people in my life already.

And here's hoping I'm make some new friends along the way.

For more about the book, author, and her blog, check out http://mwfseekingbff.com/