Friendships to Believe In

I'm reading a new book called Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah and it's made me think of my childhood and how easy it was then to make friends.

I miss being 9 years old living in a new town and being able to look across the street at the girl that lived there and just instantly making friends.  Because that's what you do when you're 9 years old. 

I miss the innocence, honesty, and bluntness of being a child.  When you had no fear to ask another child if they wanted to be your friend.  Because of course they did, right? 

When summer days were filled with hours upon hours spent with your very best friend. 
When you didn't doubt for a second that your life would work out the way you had planned. 
When you could rely on your friend.
When they built you up during the good times and the bad. 

Do our friendships change because we change?  We're no longer 12 years old talking late into the night with our best friend about our hopes and dreams, about our current crush, or about our family. 

We've grown up.  Does that mean our friendships have grown up too? 

Now we have husbands or wives, girlfriends or boyfriends, children, full time jobs and all these other responsibilities that take up our time. 
Does it take away from our time spent being a friend? 

It seems to me that women's friendships aren't as strong now. 
We let too much just get in the way of being there for one another.
We let petty jealousies and judgements cloud our view. 

If only we could see one another as we did when we were 9.  When flaws didn't matter so much.  When we promised to be best friends forever and meant it and believed in it. 
When the ways of time and life had yet to separate us and send us on our own path. 

I want it all.  I want to have my cake and eat it too. 
I want a husband one day and children.  I want to travel and have a career I'm passionate about. 
I want a life filled with friends.  Honest to goodness friends. 
The kind of friendships we had as children. 
Friendships we believed in.