friendship: don't get me attached unless you are willing to sign a long term commitment

Change is the one constant in life. I have a very love-hate relationship with change. In many ways I crave change and thrive on change. I grew up moving (My dad was an air force JAG and no its not like the tv show- generally very few mysterious crimes- you do get yelled at by generals, but spend more time reviewing contracts and lots of less glamourous legal work) My current home is the longest I have ever lived somewhere- 5 yrs. Not that I don’t love many things about where I am but at about the 3yr point I get an itch. I like to see new places, have a change of scenery, and experience new things.

The downside of change and another constant in my life is being separated from friends- seriously in my life I have a sort of friendship curse. Whenever anyone starts to get to be a really close friend- they move or I move- maybe I drive them away- maybe I am the kind of person only tolerated well in small doses. Either way I am doomed to have a long Christmas card list.

This year I will be losing more of my friends to other places. Sometimes it makes me sad, I don’t take my attachments lightly, I want them to stay, I want to see them every week.

If a genie granted me one wish, I would pick to have my favorite friends close at hand (because I know life has to be hard but with friends you can always get through). Friends you love spending time with- that are as comfortable as your favorite pair of jeans. The kind who are always there when you need them, the kind you can share all your opinions with without reservation, the kind that inspire you, the kind that just seeing them gives you energy, and makes the simplest errands or projects more fun. I always tell smart daddy-o that the reason I am so cursed is because this many great women could not all live in the same place because the world just couldn’t handle it. So many fabulous people in one location would change history, because I have to say I some truly amazing, talented, smart friends (if they would only blog you could see for yourself- although I would seem pallid in comparison and lose you my faithful readers to their more exciting blogs)

So my new rule is I refuse to become friends with anyone unless they sign a minimum 5 -10 year contract.