Some Friends Are Like Riding a Bike

It’s great when you get to a point in a friendship when you realize that even if you don’t talk for months you can still get together and it’s just like it was when you used to talk everyday.  It’s an extremely comforting feeling to know that this friend has stuck with you this far, so they will most likely be there until the end.  You don’t need to worry about appearances or formalities…you can just be yourself!

There are some friends who have known you long enough to see you when you are at your worst and when you are at your best.  There were obviously times in your life when you probably weren’t very mature, or considerate, or polite, or reliable or any other million possibilities of assorted “friend crimes.”  But there were also times when you were a great friend.  You were there when your friend needed you and there when it was just a normal day and you could hangout on the couch and watch Friends and not even talk about anything interesting at all.

When it comes to friends, it is really true that it is quality and not quantity that counts.  The friends that fall into this category of “riding a bike” friends are the girls who I spent every second with in college, but unfortunately now we have pursued our dreams and are spread out across the country.  We try to keep in touch through email, but it is really the physical time that we spend together that feels so important.

Spending time with old friends helps you to realize that even if you are in a different place in your life where you don’t have a solid group of close friends like you might have in years past, it is these close lifelong friends that are most important.  You might not see them or talk to them very often, but they are really only a phonecall away if you ever need them.

It’s hard to make new friends, and it seems that the friends who knew us when we were younger are the ones who now know us the best.  Don’t expect that you will find new friends later in life that will become as close as those you met earlier in life.  Instead, cherish the friends that you know will be around forever and let them know how important they are to you.  Don’t worry about making tons of new friends all the time and filling up a social schedule.  Instead, focus your efforts on being a good friend to those who are important in your life, even if you don’t get to see each other very often.

Image: Kelli DesRochers