Over at RevGalBlogPals, they are asking about friends today. Different kinds of friends from different seasons of your life. It makes me a little nervous to pick out just five, so I'm not going to mention names, and I'm going for variety. I love all my friends (all my real friends, not necessarily all my facebook friends), so if you don't get a mention here, please don't feel hurt. I'm going for distinctive type and life-range, in chronological order.
1. Childhood backyard friend: A friend who was in my second grade class who would come over to my house and play in the jungle that was my backyard. We made this stuff we called "grinch" (no relation to the Seuss being) from the poisonous (!), purple pokeberries in my backyard. Sometimes we dressed up and played house with it. It was strange, but we enjoyed ourselves.
2. Adolescent camp friend: my best friend from camp was probably the beginning of a life-time friendship pattern for me. We could be very good friends, occasionally communicate between seeing each other, and then when we did, pick up right where we'd left off. We actually became close enough and got old enough that we could see each other between camp each summer because we learned to drive.
3. Life-long friend: Lots of you fit into this category. There are people I bond with, and like camp friend, we don't always talk that often, but the connection is maintained. This is probably the only kind of friend I can really have, because I'm not very good at staying in touch. I appreciate the level of comfort and lack of pressure of knowing that these people are my good friends, without having to check in every week. There are people in this category from early and later stages of my life.
4. Non-church friend: Every pastor should have at least one. A local person who is never going to join your church so the pressure is off and you can just have fun. Unfortunately, mine is going to move away. Boo.
5. Accountability friends: These are people who probably fit into category three also, but they have additional special functions. One is my walking buddy, who helps me stay faithful to exercise. The other is my prayer partner, who helps me remember to check in with God. Thanks, friends!
The bonus is all of you that I've become closer with through blogging. I'm still very new at this, but I am pleasantly surprised at the depth of friendship sharing comments and thoughts can develop. Thanks! I love you all!
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4 comments:
I totally agree with the need for a non-church friend, goodness how narrow we'd become without them!
I'd never thought of a pastor needing a non-church friend, but you writing that points out that I'm growing into such a friend with an interim pastor at MCC here. I've been surprised at how friendships are forged through blogging.
I love your list! And hooray for childhood backyard friends!
You are so right about a non-church friend!
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