Make new friends, but keep the old

9. Make a new friend

One is silver and the other gold.

You know, looking back this was a strange challenge to set for myself. When I decided to do the 101 challenge, I wasn't sure how I thought I'd do this or what kind of measurement I'd be using. I kind of thought I'd just know when this one was done. And that's pretty much how it was. I'm not sure how you can tell when a relationship turns from an acquaintance-ship to a friendship or when you go from being just people who belong to the same group to friends or when you go from people who work together to friends. I don't know where the line is. Is it when you decide to go for coffee for the sixth or twelfth or twenty-second time? Is it when you decide to see each other in a context that is not your "normal" context? Is it when you willing listen to each other's dating debacles, relationship woes, and parenting anecdotes? Is it when you decide you've had enough and go for lunch and complain about work together? Is it when you share your stresses and celebrate your successes together? Is it when most of your conversations tend to be about things other than the group you're in together?

I don't know. And I don't think I really care. All I know is that somewhere in the last 16 months those lines shifted and in a city where it's hard to make friends I feel like I definitely have at least two new ones. One is a colleague and one is another blogger, who happens to live somewhere other than Vancouver, but that doesn't matter either. I think I'm pretty lucky to have these lovely new friends...good choice of a challenge Shannon!