Friends

I've been thinking about this one a lot, one thing I've noticed I don't have a lot of friends, the majority of the people in my life are acquaintances and the few friends I would say in some cases are like family as they have supported me and for that I'm grateful, even if I don't see them for a while, I know that they are there for me.

But what really got me thinking about this is, work friends, I am not sure if anyone will agree or disagree, but how many of your former colleagues from your previous job who you spent 8 hours a day and maybe your lunch hour hanging out with, are you still in touch with.  I suspect that the answer is maybe 1 or 2 or even none.  The truth is work friendships are fleeting, you can support each other in work and have a laugh, but when it comes time to move on, its no looking back.  I'm guilty of this, I think there is a handful of people I'm really in contact with.  Even outside of work friends I'm not sure how many are really there for me, I've plenty of friends on Facebook, but how many of them are really friends and not just there to make up the numbers.

I know we all have busy lives and people change and move on, things happens, but it seems to me we take friendship for granted. I've had friends, including one from my home town whom I've met here in Israel and we've hung out and become good friends and then suddenly, there is no contact, disappears and your left scratching your head as to why.  Or friends who have problems and use you as someone to talk to, but when it sorted, you don't hear from them.

Its tiring and upsetting to me.  I don't think I'm a bad person, but why cannot I create the level of friendship that I see some people have.  I'm not saying I want to be going out every day with people, but it would be nice if someone said. 'Adam we're going to this place for a bite to eat, come along'.

In some ways I feel more isolated in Israel than I did in England, I know when I moved to London it took a long time for me to build a life here, but after 5 years, I don't know how I feel, I feel like nothing has changed.  My life is work, home, bed and repeat with the occasional interruption of a social event. I've tried reaching out to people apart from those who I can count on, but it feels like banging on a brick wall.  How would you make yourself feel settled in this situation?