Do you know the song lyrics?  I won’t be singing them for you here, but the song came to my mind.  It is because I got to see a dear friend of mine today, Steph.  Steph and I go back to the years before we were teenagers.  Before we really cared about boys.  Before we really cared about any of the things that seem so important in our lives today.  I can count on one hand the number of people I have known and remained friends with for that many years.  With all the moving around I did growing up (3 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 2 high schools), that is a bigger accomplishment than you might think.  So thank you Steph for being my friend, then and now.

Have you ever moved to a new place and was faced with making friends all over again?  It sorta feels like the first day of school, but much much bigger.  And unlike the first day of school, where you are presented with 20 - 30 potential friends all at your fingertips, a new place means seeking out people on your own.  You have a city-wide scavenger hunt for friends!  Add to the mix that you have moved to a small, Southern town, where every one you meet seems to have grown-up together or goes to the same church together.  Or better yet, they are in the same mommy group (and you just happen to be childless).  How do you make friends when you are starting out in a new place?

So far, my attempts have been via Meetup.com (God bless the internet and all its wonderful webpages).  So far I have met a couple of wonderful ladies whose company I enjoy.  But what other options are out there?  What if you are not into the internet or are not into meeting strangers from a website?  How do you make friends?  Any suggestions?