Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Growing Up Is Hard To Do

I took the girl to a teen age kid meeting at the library last night. I'm one of those parents who has to walk her kid into the building and check out the scene [this comes from some experience with the criminal justice system, which so frazzled me at first that I was constantly expecting a rapist/murderer to jump out at me when I took the elevator anywhere - that was one of my first cases, and that guy was a fucking asshole], but I'm trying to give her space and let her know she can be trusted with some things.  She begged me not to make her look like a dork, so I took a book in to return.  I'm stealth like that.

We were greeted by an effervescent young girl who was literally bouncing on the balls of her feet, so excited was she to meet my daughter [or maybe it was excitement about the meeting.  No.  It was excitement about meeting my daughter. Who wouldn't be that excited? My daughter is awesome.].  It was alternately a cute and dorky scene, but it warmed  the cockles of my black, black heart.

When I went back to pick the girl up later [no, I did not mortify her by hanging out there, watching her to see what was going on. Although I did maybe linger a bit, pretending I was looking for a book to check out.], she was thrilled.  She was happy to have tried something new and stretched herself to meet new people and find new friends.

Which is what my husband, cousin and I were lamenting the other day.  We are all effervescent, cheery people.  Well, more sarcastic than effervescent, at least until we've had our coffee [or a few drinks], but we were talking about how hard it is to make friends once you leave school, how the adult world is fraught with an inability to meet people easily outside of work.

And my daughter, who evidently listens to what we say, asked, "Well, why don't you do what you always tell us kids to do? Go join a group and you'll make friends that way."


Hard to argue with; even harder to implement.  Maybe that'll be my summer goal - join a different group and meet some new people.  And no, PTA does NOT count.



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13 comments:

  1. Wait, you want me to make real, in-person friends?

    I thought I found the loophole in that with the Internet.

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  2. Megan, I did not even THINK about the internet! I'm making friends now, right?

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  3. You've already got a group - we're right here. Now just let us have a few drinks together to make it official.

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  4. I've made more "real" friends via blogging than IRL! I don't know about joining a group - that would require shy me to try to be outgoing, and I don't have the energy for that ;)

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  5. KLZ, somehow, it never occurred to me that I was part of a group - it's a really nice feeling.

    Natalie - I'm surprised, sometimes, how much more REAL I am with blogging friends than IRL.

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  6. oh yeah. if it weren't for the internets, I'd be so antisocial.

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  7. Please, oh, please let me join you all for that drink.

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  8. Andygirl, I'm kind of the same. I need lots of time where I'm not talking to people, but I'm all about Twitter. WTF?

    Nichole, ABSOLUTELY! Love to have you!

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  9. Your daughter and my son would get along. Except your daughter actually went to the library thing. My son would schlep away. He's far too schleppy to run, so I'd probably catch him.

    Great use of "effervescent", too!
    Helen

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  10. Helen - Does he listen to you and then try to make you follow your own advice? So annoying! HAHA! Glad you can still catch him!

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  11. I just met someone through blogging that turned into an IRL friend. It can happen!

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  12. Mama Bird, That's so great! I'm always excited when that happens.

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  13. and why can't virtual friends count????

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Every time you comment, I get a lady boner.