A look back

I've had this blog for about 3 months now so I decided to go back and have a look at previous posts. I started, funnily enough, at the start!

As I read that first post, I realised how much my perspective about things has changed already. I mentioned that I didn't feel like I had alot of support as my friends didn't have kids. While my close group of friends don't, I have been so lucky to access other friends who do. They have openly, genuinely and whole heartedly shared their advice, experience and love with me. They have given up time to listen and share with me. They have thought to check back in with me to see how I'm going.

It's funny how these friends have become so much closer to me now and I realise the benefit of having such friendships in my life. It's been my experience that friendships move in different ways and sometimes you're close to some people and not as close to others. Who you're close to at any given time can shift like sand.

In the past, I've had friendships go by the way side because friends have had children and they start doing things with other people who have children. As the token single person, I fell away because my life wasn't the same as theirs anymore. I never subscribed to this train of thought. I've never believed that just because your life takes a different direction, people don't have a place in it anymore.

However, in saying that, I am beginning to understand how it can happen. When you have children, it brings a whole new aspect into your life. You want to be with and share that with others who know what you're going through and can lend support. I get that - it's the same for anything that happens in life. We want to share it with others that can empathise.

Now it seems my friends who don't have babies, are going to use me as the guinea pig for when they do. Once again, I am the trail blazer. I will become like my friends who are helping me. I will go through my experience to then help others.

When I have a baby, there is no doubt my life will consideraly change. I am prepared for the fact that I won't see my friends as much as I use to. I won't always be able to go out for dinner. I won't be able to go for weekends away. I won't be able to drink 5 bottles of champagne. But, it also means my life won't stop!

It means we'll have to make more of an effort to see each other. We'll have to change the way we catch up with each other. We'll have to get use to a little person now being involved in those times. But we'll share in first steps, first words and first hugs. We'll hopefully share in the many moments that will occur in our lives as good friends tend to do. At the end of the day, a close friend is one who holds your hand through the tough times in life, celebrates the best things in life and is happy to just see you happy, knowing they played some part in that. I have no doubt that just as I have played that role for my friends, they will play that role for me!