Life Lesson #13: Distance does not make the heart grow fonder-it just plain sucks and there's nothing good about it.

I hate being far away from people. Wait, let me re-phrase. I hate being far away from people that I ENJOY. It sucks. I once had a long distance relationship, I lived in Texas and he lived in Jersey. It lasted approximately 2 months long distance and every day sucked. Yes, I like my alone time but I like being with friends! There's a reason they are my friends, I enjoy their company and being around them! If I didn't, they'd be my relatives.

(yes, that is an actual picture of some of my relatives' feet.)

The point is distance sucks. There is no silver lining to distance. It does not make you appreciate the person or the relationship more, it just makes you bitter because you aren't surrounded by the people who get you the most, the ones you have the shared jokes with, the secrets, the way of speaking without actually speaking. The people who when you are with them, you are part of something special and when you are without them, people tend to think you are a completely different kind of "special".

I desperately miss my friends. I miss having conversations about world issues as opposed to the trivial on-goings of small-town life. No, I do not care about Irene's granddaughter's boyfriend's sister's kid. I want to talk about the debt ceiling and health care and the NFL lockout and MLB trades. I want to talk about how to make an Alex the Lion cake from scratch for Gus's birthday and what he should be for Halloween. I want to spend an afternoon rocking out to the Rent Soundtrack while shopping for clothes that I don't need and won't buy. I want to get dolled up and have a fancy dinner in a city, an actual city not a town, and put on heels and be hit on by guys who have showered within the past 12 hours and have a college degree. I want to stay in and do homemade mani-pedis while watching romantic comedies and eating calories that don't matter because I'm laughing so hard.

I want to reminisce about the old times and know that the future will be even better because I'll have my friends with me. I want to talk about my goals and have them tell me if they are foolish or not. I want to hear them say they believe in me, that everything will be okay because, well, because it just has to be. I want them to call me on my bullshit and whip me into shape. I. Want. My. Friends.

(Kim Anderson Photo)

Growing up you made friends easily, I don't care who you were, friends were easier to come by because you had more opportunities to make them-school, daycare, sports, neighborhoods, YMCA's, etc-and you weren't so jaded, you believed everyone wanted to be your friend and that everyone made a good friend. If you got in a fight with one, there was always someone else. Than the years went by and friends became harder to make, cliques became impenetrable and people weren't as trustworthy. Now, as an adult, when you make a friend, you cling to them, knowing how rare and precious they are.

I know how valuable my friends are, I know how great they are. I know they would do anything for me as I would do for them. I know no matter how far apart life may take us, we will remain friends (feel free to gag/puke here)  but I also know that we are at our best when we are together, that friendships are strongest when they are in the same city. No matter how great your intentions are, life happens and so does distancce and sometimes life is a bitch and that bitch can tear you away from your best friends.

In the meantime, I suppose I will just sit in self-pity, Skype as often as possible and play numerous games of catch with Gus until he tires of me. Everyone needs friends, though, I mean, even House has Wilson.