I think we all need to have at least one person in our lives of whom we can ask absolutely anything—we can show our silliest, least educated and most desperate sides to and they will be able to respond appropriately. As a parent, we may feel like we have to be that person for our kids (and I think it is a good thing if we are) but we still need to have someone like that in our lives too.
We all need someone we can ask for parenting advice, dating advice, or just express some of our most unsavory thoughts and problems to. These individuals are NOT easy to come by, I must admit and when I look over my life I can probably only pick out one or two that have been with me for years and with whom I can ask any stupid question or share any comment. I know these people won’t be shocked, turn away, or react in an inappropriate way. It is wonderful to have those individuals in our lives and oh so necessary too!
Often, when we go through rough patches or find ourselves on the tail end of a divorce, separation, death or other major life-altering event, one of the things that happens is that our social circle gets trimmed and filtered too. We tend to see who are true, lasting friends are and we may have to say goodbye to some others. It may be incredibly painful, but in the long run it can be a really good thing. It is at these very times that we may discover who our “go to” person is—who is that person we can turn to with any problem and ask anything of—no matter how ridiculous or self-absorbed? If you do not have one of these people in your life (and there have been times when I was convinced that there was not a soul on earth who cared about me that unconditionally), you might consider how YOU can be that person for someone else—we tend to invite into our lives what we are willing to give and do for others.
See Also: Who is Your Best Friend?
What Can YOU DO for Other Single Parents?