Hello beautiful people.
I know I've been talking about friendship in my posts lately, but that's because I've been super aware and grateful about the importance and necessity of having true friends in my life. Having started my first full-time career in my mid-twenties, especially in the field of education, the median age I'm surrounded by at work is 35-40. Most of the coworkers that I see/communicate with daily are an even mix of men and women within that age range, and I've noticed that I get along so much better with them than the people closer to my age. Not only that--I seek out my older, female coworkers much more frequently than I do the young women who are my age when I need advice, a heart-to-heart, or just light conversation to distract me from my day. I found this interesting because when you're in school, you're usually around students your age who have similar personalities, goals and interests as you. But in my experience, everything changes when you're the one working and grinding every day, having to make smart choices concerning your health and wellness, etc. In other words: you need to be around adults to make conscientious adult decisions. Even before I started teaching, I had two other consistent jobs that allowed me to learn a lot under the tutelage of other amazing women in their 30s; I still see them on Facebook and love knowing that they got everything they used to tell me they wanted (love, marriage, their dream jobs).
Naturally, I'm not surprised anymore when I meander towards the seasoned coworkers who are talking about politics instead of the younger ones who are more concerned with their Snapchats. My two closest friends in the district are both the same age, 35 going on 36, and though they don't have children, they're women whose opinions I value just as much as my mom's. We've had dinners together, gone shopping together, and done the same amount of bonding that I used to do with my crew of younger girlfriends; but what makes these friendships stand out so much more is the fact that they've been where I'm at--they've asked themselves the same questions I'm asking myself now, and they can give me more insight and clarity on problems that seem so unsolvable to me. I'm sort of like the little sister of the trio, and they like having a younger version of themselves to advise and scold and hang with. They've both been with their significant others for a while now too, so it's extremely comforting to have them hear me out (AKA being an emotional mess), give me time to breathe, and then give me the tough love and advice that I need. Their point-of-view on serious issues, like things going on at work or on the news, is grounded and poignant. An added bonus is that since they don't have kids yet, they can still go out for late night drinks, be tons of fun and still totally handle their shit. I've also had particularly trying times since the year started, and these two lovely ladies were there for me in an instant.
I do still treasure the main friendship that I've had since I was 8, because it's the type of friendship that you want to always continue to grow and nurture until the very end. But since you're both growing and off doing your own thing, you eventually do want to surround yourself with other people who can also help you progress in your professional and personal life in different ways. I have a feeling that things will change in a few months and I won't be able to see my two wonderful friends as often as I have in the past couple of years, but I know that they'll always be a part of my life no matter what. They are my mentors and teachers, and I never want to lose the priceless support and guidance that they've been able to give me.
