winds of change

A few nights ago I grabbed drinks with a few of my "PEPs" friends and had a really great time. I've known these women for less than a year and yet, we have so much in common and connect as if we've known each other all our lives. It's surprising to me, as I regularly joke that I dislike approximately 98% of the people I meet, so to genuinely like at least 6 other "new" women and consider them friends is a big deal.
An interesting change has occurred in my friendships. I'm typically pretty selective of those I consider my friends and put an enormous amount of stock in my relationships. Prior to having Sydney, I consistently heard how much a child changes your life, and to be frank, it scared the shit out of me. I wasn't ready for my life to change as everyone said it would. In fact, I didn't believe them. Sweet denial... That is, until recently.
As of late, I've been acutely aware of the dramatic shift that takes place when having a child. My single/child-less friends simply don't understand. Not to be one of those moms, but truly, no kids = no idea. But how could one possibly understand the change that takes place once a child is brought into your life? They cannot. Plain and simple. Not right, not wrong, but real. I had no clue before our little Peanut. And with that, I'm finding myself in the most interesting position. Part of me mourns the friendships I had with some, while the other part realistically acknowledges the differences of our lives at this stage and simply accepts it with a nod. We'll all catch up one day, won't we? It's so funny, how life works itself out. I can't help but think that it's one friend in, another friend out. That may sound harsh, which is not my intent, but there is some truth to that. Of course I have dear friends who don't have children and to whom I will always be close, regardless of our place in life,  and whom none of this applies. But for the others, our lives are truly different and our friendships have changed. And that's life, now, isn't it? People enter in and out of our lives for so many reasons, all of them with a purpose. I cherish the friendships I've had, the ones that continue to grow with me and those that are just beginning.