Making new friends, with new faces, in new places

One of my favorite quotes that I’ve heard, well read -on the side of a Starbucks coffee cup – comes from Augusten Burroughs. I think I love it because it has been the theme of my very big changes in life. He said:

"I used to feel so alone in the city. All those gazillions of people and then me, on the outside. Because how do you meet a new person? I was very stumped by this for many years. And then I realized, you just have to say, "Hi." They may ignore you. Or you may marry them. And that possibility is worth that one word."

Because really? How does anyone meet anyone? I struggled with this when I moved to London and again when I moved to the Country. There MUST be someone out there who is just like me, laughs at my jokes, and who I love to spend time with. I suppose you could join a church like I have, write a note like Neighbor did and then meet friends of your new friends. Which I suppose is exactly what I’m trying to do.

On Friday night I had dinner with Neighbor and Friend, plus Friend’s GF (note previous post about Neighbor – I mention Friend there). Neighbor told me afterwards that he doesn’t know the two we dined with very well, but we still laughed and had fun. Friend’s sister came over and chatted with Friend, GF, and me. She then ended up chatting with just me and GF for a while, then she went back to her table of friends. Then yesterday when I was in line at Starbucks, in walks Friend’s sister. On my way out, I said hello to her. She remembered me (which was nice!) and we chatted for a few. Turns out she doesn’t even know Neighbor, but at least now she knows me! I don’t think we’ll become bffs, but that’s not the point really. I could at least say hello to someone in the market square that I knew and that is really exciting.

When I first moved to the Country, I spoke to a friend of mine from the City, who had moved to a midwestern city. He was from the midwest, but hadn’t lived there since before college. He asked me if I had made any friends yet. Of course I hadn’t, which I admitted. When I asked him (mind you, he had moved a year prior to this conversation) if he had, he said that he hadn’t really. And then we talked about how one makes friends, or rather, not making friends. Even Neighbor talked about how hard it is to make friends in this lovely country town that I moved to. And he's lived here for just about 6 years. I suppose pretty soon I'll have too many friends and then I'll be complaining about not having any time to myself.

I’m getting there, with each person that I see, recognize, and who recognizes me in the market square. And just think, perhaps the next person that I meet in the market square who knows me...just might be my Beloved. Saying hi is definitely worth that possibility.