In my lifetime I have seen people become friends simply by spending time together.  That’s all it takes.  There may be no other “thing” in common, only the time we spend together, yet quite naturally we become friends.  Things in common will increase with the amount of time we spend together.  I suppose it is a no-brainer, yet I am always a little surprised to realize we have become friends.

There is a Friend Effect going on with the Friday group.  Every week now as we get together, once a week is all, just one and now several of the group hang back while each person cleans their mat and rolls it up.  They wait for each other as shoes are put back on.  The chatting I overhear is both job related and weekend related.  They leave the room in subsets, little groups.

This week the whole group waited for me before anyone left the room.  I put the room back the way it was when I came in.  I roll the cart of mats, straps and cleaner into the closet and close it back again.  This is a multi-purpose room.  I re-set the lighting back to how we found it as well.  I grab the bundle of used towels to drop them in the soiled linens bin.  I look around for left articles from my group or myself.  I just never hurry leaving the room.  I kind of relish the time.  I like feeling responsible for getting everything back as it was.  So for the group, en masse, to be waiting for me was flattering.

I didn’t notice at first.  Everyone was chatting as they do.  I asked a question for clarification is all.  The talk continued around me as I took care of business.  I was half listening.  As we all walked down the hall together is when I realized they had waited for me.  I felt part of the group.

I suppose it was bound to happen.  We see each other once a week.  I put the room back together for the next group without even thinking about it these days. In other words, I wasn’t asking to be included.  It was organic and I am feeling rather blessed today while we continued to breathe.