Like Family

Growing up in a military family and living on base, we were always surrounded by friends. Since we didn't live near relatives, our friends were our family. We did life together. And that was my normal. It never dawned on me that life on a military base and the relationships formed there are very different from life in suburbia... until recently.

A friend (military wife) remarked recently that what we (our collective group of friends) have is more like what military families find on base and not like the typical suburban relationship. And that got me thinking; she's right. She's absolutely right.

Maybe this (our friendship) is due to the transient nature of our area, though I doubt that. After all, there are plenty of people in each one of our neighborhoods who are recent arrivals, yet we haven't bonded with them in this way (not to say they don't have these types of relationships with others, either). A greater reason is our similar love of and for God. That probably seems obvious, especially since we all know each other through church, however, even attending church together doesn't bring this immediate close-knit community that we have. (Case in point: Friends who have moved away and who are still trying to connect within their new church communities.) Yet perhaps the most compelling reason is a combination of the two: our love for God brought us to a church home that's filled with other believers who desire a relationship with other people. And I'm so thankful to be a part of that.

I am so blessed by these women, and so thankful to call them family, that I can't imagine why they'd want to move away (to be closer to family). Yes, my family is local (a definite blessing), but I don't even see them as often as I see my girlfriends. Honestly, I just couldn't imagine living in a community with just my family (no offense), and that's probably due to my upbringing: remember, we never lived near family, so my "norm" was substituting friends for family.

What a blessing this is! I know that if I need anything, I have a network of friends on which I can rely. The odd day is that on which we don't have plans with someone. Again, what a blessing!

So to my girlfriends who are part of this community (and yes, this includes those of you who have moved away), thank you. Thank you for choosing and allowing me to be a part of your family. You have no idea how much I treasure your friendship, or how grateful I am for your presence in my life.