Friendships of Women

My mom gave the book a while ago.  Maybe I should read it. Because I think that I am clueless.

I recently read Lisa Whelchel's book "Friendships for Grownups" (yes, Blair from Facts of Life) about how she has struggled with friendships and, in many ways, I could so relate with her story.  Obviously I did not grown up on tv, but I had life situations that held me back from learning about friendships.   For ex:  I am great about talking to new people etc.  but when I see women who already have friends and their own little "clique" I know I am not a part.  I perceive (whether correctly or not) that those women are not looking for new friendships.  Friendships are almost harder for me since Maggie's illness.  People think that they know me from reading the Caringbridge....and that is just a small glimpse of me and often times it is/was the me I wanted to be.  I think people find me intimidating because I am such a "say what I mean, mean what I say" person.  I find it hard to hide what I feel.  I am constantly working on it and am still a work in progress. 

But then I hear almost every other woman say similar things about "wanting women friends" and "being lonely" etc etc.  Yesterday, in the Esther study by Beth Moore, Beth talks about women wanting friendships and yet feeling so alone and that it is one of the hardest things about being a woman.  Do you agree?

So I am trying to figure out why friendships among women are so difficult if we all want them so badly?  Why do we make it so difficult?  We all want to have people to share with but are all so scared to stick out our necks for fear of rejection?  If only we could remember all of the women who feel the exact same way?  I need to remember if I "stick my neck out" and am rejected then that woman is not worthy of my friendship anyway, right?  Seems so simple....


I am trying to get a handle on this friendship thing and, honestly, it really bugs me sometimes.  All right, it more than bugs me and a lot more that sometimes.

So what do you do about friendships with other women?  Seriously.  What do you do?  How do you handle those times when you feel lonely?  What do you do when you perceive that everyone else has met their quota of friendships and doesn't need your friendship?  How do you know when other women would like your friendship?  What do you do when you feel left out?  Cause I think, if we were all brutally honest with ourselves and each other - we've all been there....more times than we'd like to share.  But life is about doing it together.  So, what do you do?