Duty station friends vs lifelong friends

I grew up as an Army brat. My father served 20 years and I spent my childhood moving every 3 years. One thing I know how to do is make new friends!

And now I continue the “make a friend” trend, as a spouse.  Things have changed quite a bit since I was a child. Gone are the days of paying for long distance phone calls and exchanging mailing addresses. But one thing that hasn't changed is that some people you meet will become lifelong friends, while others are merely duty station friends.

And just to clarify, I don't consider people friends just because Facebook says they are! My friends are in the phone book on my iPhone. We may be in different time zones, but we still get a rousing game of phone tag going in an attempt to have a conversation! One friend even sent me a text message on the 4^th of July reminding me about his cookout and the ice I’m supposed to bring! It’s that type of humor that reminds me that I’ve still got a place in their heart. I may not talk to them often, but my interaction with them extends much further than just "liking" a new picture on a social networking website.

Duty station friends are great when you're in the same physical location, but when that PCS move comes, you typically regress to just Facebook friends; at least until the military brings you back together again.

But lifelong friends are the ones that never let the barrier of distance weaken the friendship. Though you may not talk often, you know they are only a phone call away. These are the people that if the Internet went away today, they would put a letter in the mail just to keep in touch!

There's nothing wrong with being duty station friends. They help you through rough times and are there for some pretty important good times as well.

Finding duty station friends is a gift. But don’t be too disappointed if the closeness doesn’t last long after the PCS move. Some people are only meant to be in your life for a season, but true lifelong friends are the gift that keeps on giving.