Friendship

Of all the things I have struggled with since moving to New York, loneliness is at the top of the list. It's funny how I can live in such a busy city, constantly surrounded by people, and yet be lonely. So I have put finding friends at the top of my prayer list. (A man would be nice as well, but really friends are what I miss the most.)

Two weeks ago, my prayer was answered. Not how I thought it would be (which is how my prayers are often answered) with a new friendship with someone who lives in the city, but exactly how I needed it to be.

I received an email a few weeks ago from my high school friend's sister, who would be in town with a friend that coming weekend. She would be in the city on Friday, would I have time to meet? My answer was yes, I'd love to see her. Since I have been friends with Cherie for such a long time (really I hate to think it's been that many years since high school!) I know her whole family; mother, step-father, sisters, brothers, cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents. And I knew right away that this was an answer to my prayer for friends.

On Friday after work, I met Carol and Olga at the corner of 43rd and 6th, where they were dropped off after their SITC bus tour. They were meeting her cousin for dinner later that night, so I had a little bit of time to catch up and show them around a bit. (I actually had a lot more time than we thought--her cousin works long hours in the financial district, and he's Colombian. And if you have ever heard the expression 'Colombian time' you know that it is always later than they say, in this case 2 hours later!) So I showed them Bryant Park and we had a cocktail at the bar in the park. And BTW, if you're young and single, that is the place to be on a Friday after work--the place was overfilling with men! And I think I saw Crosby from the TV show Parenthood. And since I have yet to see a famous person since moving here, I'm going to go with the thought that it was him!)

After the park, Olga invited me to dinner. Of course, I said yes! We walked up 5th Avenue, stopped in St. Patrick's cathedral, and went to Times Square on our way to the restaurant where we waited (Colombian time) for Enrique, Olga's cousin. We had great Sangrias, a charming and good looking Latin waiter (Enrique taught me how to flirt with a Latin man--evidently you just have to say "Poppy" at the end of your sentence!), fabulous food (I think our dinner was served about 10pm) and so much laughter. Carol and Olga are such nice women and so fun that I thoroughly enjoyed myself. And I was reminded again to appreciate the moment that was right in front of me instead of wishing for something else. Prayer: Check. Prayer Answered: Check.