I just got off the phone with my dear friend Viola, an expat who now lives in Spain. She's visiting a friend in the states and called me up just to chat. Our conversation was brief -- 20 minutes -- but important.
Some days, in all my moving around the country and craziness and new experiences, I lose touch with something that is truly important: community. Perhaps it is my lack of a consistent community that drives me to say this, but I do think community is one of the strongest and most important things in our lives. And not to knock my online friends, because they're great, but a community of people who lives close is the best.
I don't have a close community yet in Minnesota, but I do have a community of people who have known me over time. These people have seen me on good days and bad; they've helped me write papers, learn how to cook, play games, and love life. And reconnecting with these people really helps me know my sense of self.
Viola and I are friends from college. We lived on the same floor (different wings, tho) in the dorms, and I'm pretty sure we met because we were in the same honors writing class. We didn't have many classes together, but we did take poetry as well. Despite not interacting in class, we always took time to spend time with each other. Viola did teach me a good many things about cooking (first and foremost: improvise!). She's always been my dedicated poetry buddy and life contemplating friend. We can go months without talking, but each time we do reconnect, it's just normal.
I need to remember these old friendships, and also let these friendships encourage me to get out in the world and make some new friends too.