But the real fun started after “story time” was over.
One of the moms mentioned that she had tried e local MOPs group, but really didn’t feel welcome. I started to laugh out loud, not at her, but in relief. Here she was a sweet, easy-going woman who shouldn’t have a problem making friends, and she had the same problem I had.
It wasn’t me after all.
So I told her about my experience, and explained that I now drive 45 minutes twice a month to a MOPs group in another city because they are so friendly and welcoming.
The flood gates opened.
It turns out we both felt crazy because we were having such a hard time making friends here. Then the other mom joined in. She had the same problem.
Our conclusion after an hour and a half was this: because this area has so many transplants the people who are native tighten their circles and hold onto one another without letting the new ones in. The town that I drive to for MOPs is almost all transplants, so hardly anyone (probably less than 10%) is local. In that case the transplants have gone out of their way to be welcoming because they have each been new at some point.
I am not crazy! Well, maybe a little crazy, but not unfriendable. What a relief.
Weird as it may seem, i did catch myself looking at this woman and thinking, “Are you my Julie.” You know the children’s book, “Are You My Mother”? Same concept. There is only one Julie just like there is only one mother in the book. But I’m starting to feel like God is rewarding me for putting myself out there, by putting sweet, friendly people in my life. Who knew? All I had to do was get over myself.
Btw, I never blog twice in the same day. This iPad is changing that.