Fridge Friends

Sometimes we don’t realize that we need something, until we are right in the middle of it.

I recently visited Seattle, my former home, under the guise of taking care of some business and seeing a friend’s new baby.  Once there, I realized that I was meant to go and hug and be hugged by some loved ones.

During the four short years I lived there, I had connected very deeply with several communities.  On this trip, I was able to revisit some of the friends I had made, including my former neighbor.

She’s one of those people around whom I do not feel the need to mold my actions to meet any standards of formality and convention.  For instance, I felt so casual and comfortable in her home that I simply picked up some fruit off the counter and asked her if I could help myself.  She answered, “Of course!” and I felt the warmth that comes with familiarity and friendship.

I realized then that I was missing what I now call “fridge friends”.  This term describes deep, homey, and comfortable friendships perfectly.

Fridge friends are the people with whom you feel completely comfortable. You are not a guest in their homes and feel free enough to walk up to their refrigerators and pick up whatever you want to eat.

This level of comfort is a way to measure the intangible aspects of love and connection.

Going to someone’s home and making oneself truly comfortable demands some vulnerability, but provides a deeper level of intimacy.  It takes the willingness to pass through a moment of discomfort in order to build a deeper level of friendship.

Your Assignment:

Can you upgrade a friendship where you may have been playing safe, to the level of Fridge Friends? Are there people in your life with whom you would like to be more closely connected?  Are you willing to step out and create more fridge friendships?  Perhaps it requires a conversation, or perhaps you can simply transition into a deeper familiarity by going for it!

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