Business of Making Friends

You'd think with as much as I've moved around in my Air Force life that making friends would become easier with practice.  No such luck for me.  But I still have life left to be lived (say that 10 times).  This week, I have once again opened mouth inserted foot and in the process "pulled a Jen".  That is when you have really good intentions and your heart is in the right place but yet you still manage to offend, hurt, or anger someone.  I manage to do all 3 at the same time.  Like I said, I've had lots of practice.

It all began at a dang PTA meeting trying to be a supportive and near perfect parent.  (I say that as if the PTA can solve my imperfections.  I've realized that it is now the cause of some of them.) We were talking about the Fall Festival coming up and peanut allergies were brought up by a PTA member that unfortunately has a child with peanut allergies.  Everyone just looked at her with the blank stare that screamed something like, "and that is our problem how" or "too bad, but we don't really want to change anything for you".  In my effort to defuse the situations and take her side to offer help,  I very horribly, as if I've never spoken in public before, asked for any solutions that maybe she'd thought would work.  Doesn't sound too bad does it?  Well, it put her on the defensive and her husband ended up visiting the school to have a "talk".  Now, I don't think the "talk" was in reaction to what I said, but to the overall reaction of everyone including the Principle.  Now through a friend of the friend, I know she harbors ill feeling toward me.

Now on the other side of the story, it has me analyzing every detail and how I can be a better "me".  Isn't that what women do best--analyze.  I've been blessed with great friends.  You know the kind that always say the right thing, do the right thing, even wear the right thing.  The kind that you finish having lunch with and think... "What a neat person. I'm so glad that they're my friend."  Well, I'm not one of those people.  I consider myself the "weak link".  I'm kind of the entertainment for the group.  The clown in the corner.  Please don't comment on how wonderful you think I am.  My only reply will be that you know me well enough to translate my horribly initiated  pure intentions.  You no doubt have said at one time or another "that's just Jen".  My question to you, family and friends, is what quality do you love to have in a friend? Leave a comment, it's for a hopelessly good cause.  Now I'm off to buy a Tivo/DVR to rewind my life.