Growing up they say you only really ever end up having 2 really amazing friends that become more like family then friends. I have that. I have two amazing best friends that over time have become sisters who I cannot live without.
But as you grow up and move away your circle of friends get smaller and after moving to a new area you realise you need people around you locally that you could call friends too. However as an adult it is always harder to make friends especially ones you know that will stick around or make an effort.
After I got married 7 years ago and moved to the other side of London. I had my sisters but they lived an hour away so getting to meet up on a regular basis was becoming a low option. I needed localities, but not being a mum at the time I struggled. I worked in London so my work mates were there and I had little places to go to just sit and start up conversations. It would be a bit random, if I just started up a conversation in Costa with total random stranger no?
After having Z I did use her as a bit of a friend magnet tool. At baby groups or random coffee places you could randomly nod or start talking to other parents through their child. I even met a few people that I got on with. But just when things were feeling real something would happen and reality would strike. Friendships would split and every one became busy or walked away or stopped messaging back.
Sadly I realised making friends face to face was going to be not just hard but practically impossible. This made me feel really lonely as an adult knowing that friendships were going to be more challenging. That was until I started blogging and the business came along. I found an amazing community out in the wider world. Yes they weren’t in the same area, but hey they made an effort. They had an interest in my life as I had in theirs and we all had similar aged kids which was a massive bonus. Opening up an online shop not only helped me in taking those steps to fulfil my dream but they also opened up a community of people I could contact, talk and understand. I can call them friends.
Meeting them face to face is always a pleasure and the best thing is that because there are so many parents that are based online through blogging, online shops or as customers and readers you can find them at different events or meet ups. Not only do you build a network of like minded people but you also build a network you can rely on.
From my experience, growing older and leaving your past behind does have it’s struggles but it also opens up some amazing doors (online ones in this case) to create lifelong friendships for the better. So to all my online social friends I thank you for coming into my life and being part of my journey just like I have become part of yours.
To adulthood and Friendships.
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