I felt this deeply. As a stay-at-home mom, my friends are other stay-at-home moms of children in the same age range as mine. It has been challenging to connect with them now that our kids are at or near high school age and have their own schedules.
I’m in transition, too. Like you said, as a writer, much of what I do is in solitude behind my laptop, and the women I am running alongside in my race are those also writing and building a ministry or business.
Your article gave me permission to embrace that at different points in our race, we will be along side, move towards, and move away from different friendships and people and that’s okay.
Yes, exactly. The "moving away" from friendships used to leave me with so much guilt. But when I remember the race metaphor, it makes perfect sense to do so.
I feel this wholeheartedly! Have you heard of the concept of “friends of the road” and “friends of the heart”? Both serve significant purposes but it also helps us make meaning of some friendships serving a season and a place where we are physically inhabiting the same space and others are ones that endure regardless of stage of life and physical distance. That has helped me so much when I think of how hard it is to maintain friendships as life evolves and changes (and as my stage of motherhood evolves and changes too). This is so encouraging and a timely reminder 🤍
Everything you say in your essay rings true. I just let go some old friendships. And I'm working hard to maintain some current ones. Of the ones that have not made it to this point in my life, most I can look back upon fondly. Relationships are hard in any form.
I think I always believed on some level that female friendships were easy for everyone else but me. It's refreshing to hear you say that they are hard for you, too. (Also, it's so good to "see" you!!!)
I felt this deeply. As a stay-at-home mom, my friends are other stay-at-home moms of children in the same age range as mine. It has been challenging to connect with them now that our kids are at or near high school age and have their own schedules.
I’m in transition, too. Like you said, as a writer, much of what I do is in solitude behind my laptop, and the women I am running alongside in my race are those also writing and building a ministry or business.
Your article gave me permission to embrace that at different points in our race, we will be along side, move towards, and move away from different friendships and people and that’s okay.
Yes, exactly. The "moving away" from friendships used to leave me with so much guilt. But when I remember the race metaphor, it makes perfect sense to do so.
I feel this wholeheartedly! Have you heard of the concept of “friends of the road” and “friends of the heart”? Both serve significant purposes but it also helps us make meaning of some friendships serving a season and a place where we are physically inhabiting the same space and others are ones that endure regardless of stage of life and physical distance. That has helped me so much when I think of how hard it is to maintain friendships as life evolves and changes (and as my stage of motherhood evolves and changes too). This is so encouraging and a timely reminder 🤍
I have NOT heard of that concept, but I love it!
Everything you say in your essay rings true. I just let go some old friendships. And I'm working hard to maintain some current ones. Of the ones that have not made it to this point in my life, most I can look back upon fondly. Relationships are hard in any form.
I think I always believed on some level that female friendships were easy for everyone else but me. It's refreshing to hear you say that they are hard for you, too. (Also, it's so good to "see" you!!!)
Good to "see" you, too! 💗