Cycle of Friends

Some people have friends that they've known since they were in kindergarten. They have years and years of memories. I think a lot of that has to do with one's parents and who they spend time with during the course of their lives. Many years ago, my parents had less time for friends because more and more family started moving to our state. So there are people that I have known since I was little but I don't see very often. I see my family constantly, every holiday and every birthday (and there are a lot of them!) we all get together. In turn, my friends throughout the childhood/young adult years changed usually when I changed schools. From middle school to junior high to high school to college to workplace #1 to workplace #2, etc.

When I moved to New England for work and met others who had done the same (moved from their homes), we all had something in common. We didn't know anybody else. So we joined forces. But there was always atleast 1 or 2 people who were so stuck on their "old friends" that they couldn't get along with the group. It was always like "oh, but my friends and I never do that, we always do this...", "back home, they didn't act like that", "i can't wait to see my friends". As if in order for this person to be friends with us, we had to act exactly like his/her old friends. I'm not saying you can't keep your old friends! You definitely should. But if you want any chance of making new ones where you are then you need to spend some time doing so. And in that sense you can't be on the phone constantly with your old friends, because no one cares to try to talk to you if you don't reciprocate. Which is sad of course, because everyone has a right to be homesick and miss their friends and family, but at the same time it's a bit childish. I mean you have to grow up some time and if you can't handle moving then don't do it.

Anyway so I feel that it's a cycle of friends rather than a circle of friends. And as I'm talking about friends, old and new, I wonder what a friend really is...