_RAGNAR_
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 147
I thought I had a fair number of friends and many acquaintances, but over the past six months or so, I learned I had the opposite! I moved over 1,000 miles from my past home in August of 2010. My friends all were talking about keeping in touch, coming to visit, etc. With modern technology, that's easy enough. Not really, as several months later I really hear nothing.
Meanwhile, word got back to my "acquaintance" group - basically people I knew, but really never spoke with much (which means I must have been too dumb to give them much of my time). Two of those people I hear from almost daily and three others actually moved here after asking about this area. One of those three is now living here and is my girlfriend. Worked together for 10 years and never noticed she thought so much of me. So, now I try to talk to everyone I've met here and try to listen to them and be a friend. Never know who is right around you, supportive and caring, yet you just don't see them.
Yes, I would highly suggest investing purposeful time in really talking to people and getting to know them. You will find many people who have some overlapping interests with you, but you will NEVER know it without talking to them.
You have to put yourself out there, and talk about stuff, most people here wear something that allows other people to make comments to you, but do you comment on other peoples stuff? Then when someone compliments you or asks about something turn it into a mini-conversation don’t just give them a one sentence reply.
It’s little sad to me that some many people here have a lot of cool interests but say they don’t have many or any friends. It doesn’t matter how small a town you live in, you can find friends and some of them will evolve into great, lifelong friends.