Milestones

At some point in life, you realize that you are at a different point in life than everyone else. Different experiences in jobs, relationships, school, and family all prepare us differently in how we approach life and what perspectives we take.

This week has been one of those milestones for me that recognizing your difference can actually help build better relationships. Understanding one another for each person's individual experiences can help you better predict or better accept one's words and actions. In a conversation with Dashing's sister, Miss E (read her blog at http://missesmisadventures.blogspot.com/), on Wednesday, we both have discovered that being in a committed relationship seems to calm to hunger for drama (ok, so in most cases). How is it that one piece of your life, a significant other, can change what kind of interactions you have with others? It's a unique puzzle to put together - trying to build a support system of friends that is - as we're all in different places, despite our ages being the same or not. As we further engage in conversations, experience new situations, and meet new people, our perspectives on life change. We come to expect more in some areas, demand less of other things, crave new things, and become in a hurry to dismiss others.

So the challenge presents when you are headed down the path of change to the north, while good friends are heading south. As peoples' interests and values change, can you accept them for who they are, or do break the bonds of friendship knowing that one day, your new experiences may return you to the same direction. I must believe that it is a harmony of the two - understanding each others' friendship needs and discovering who fulfills what and who doesn't. This goes hand in hand with understanding and accepting when your friends are in their own lives (their experiences and perspectives). In other words, don't expect a Ms. Dramamaniac to spend evenings watching old movies and talking about the meaning of life, and don't expect a Ms. Lifemeaning to want to listen to your 4 week old gossip. Know your friends by listening - hear where they are, and fulfill your friendship needs with what they can offer, while on the flip side knowing what they can't.