Friends and making community.

I am losing a friend this week.  We will still be friends but she is moving away.  I know, there's Facebook and e-mail but it isn't the same.  This wonderful friend was one of the very few I could be my intelligent self with.  She is intelligent too so we could talk fast and furious about so many deep things.  We cared about each other, too.  She and I tried so hard to get the non-religious homeschool families to form a caring, cooperative community but no one seemed to want to.  We tried for a year.  We only met, she and I, a  bit over a year ago via e-mail when she inquired about the local homeschool groups and I sent her a huge bunch of e-mails telling all about my city, my state, the things to do here, the groups here, the ins and outs of this area and the feel of it.  I even helped her find a house to rent in a good neighborhood; all before we even met. When we did meet, we were just nice and polite and friendly but as she said things and I said things, we both realized that we were both intelligent women that have been mistreated for that intelligence.  She came here with her family because they were going to see if they wanted to move here but as things turned out, they couldn't afford to stay because their house back east wouldn't sell and her husband's company was bought out by another so his job is a bit precarious now.  He is also intelligent and soft spoken, a kind man that loves his smart wife and their kids and animals.  He and my husband got along too. 

I feel bereft because even though she sometimes seemed to want more time from me than I had to give because of my full time college classes,  I still love her kindness, her optimism, her positive outlook, her openmindedness and her compassion.  It is hard to believe we have only been friends for a year.  She is like the sister I never had;  fun, loving, serious,  I can talk to her, she drives me crazy sometimes because we are different but we love each other.  I have never had a friend like that in my life...until now.  I have two friends like that now but she is the one that shares my political, spiritual and social views.  Her name is Rachell and I do miss her so much. 

Her leaving is just one of a chain of events that has happened since last fall that has me feeling sad.  Some homeschool friends put their kids into public school which means we won't see them anymore at the weekly P E days I organized.  The city has stopped the trains that come through from blowing their horns anymore;  I will miss that sound so much.  My friend is moving  away.  The school district won't be hiring so even though my husband is finishing his MEd with certification student teaching this semester, we will probably have to move away for a job.  We have lived here for 12 years...the longest I have  ever lived anywhere in my life and it feels like home.

I miss my friend and it hurts to know she is far away.