Friendship frenzy

I have a young friend who has returned from overseas and in her early 20s is trying to fit back into the community and find her feet, and most of all find friends.
You see, we live in a rural town just about 50km outside of a big city. We love it here, because we can get our city fix if we want, but living in a large rural town it has all we need but that serenity and loveliness of the countryside. But for a young adult it simply yells loneliness if you are not careful. She is not a night club (we only have one!) pub drinking type girl. She was just like me at her age. Clean living, family loving, super friendly, gorgeous, intelligent... just like me! But she really has no desire to upsticks and get a job in the city, go to a big city church, live in a tiny apartment, all for the sake of finding friends her own age. The ones that are her own age here are married, no fun honey, I assure you, been there experienced that.
So I got thinking. Why does she have to have friends her own age. I didn't. One of my best friends was old enough to be my mother, in fact she was my exboyfriends mother. I think I wanted to marry him just so I could have her as my mother-in-law, if the truth be told. One of my other great friends is 10 years older than me. These woman were interesting, funny, and most of all, inspirational. They set me up for life ahead, unbeknown to them they infused so much of who I am today. My older friend died weeks before I got married, but it was like her work was done in my life. My other friend I still see a couple of times a year, but again, her most influential time in my life was 20 years ago, when I needed her.
As a plain speaking woman I would have to admit that the girls in church who were my age and married and having children were boring to me. They had not gone to university, they married young, had the children and life started. They had no opinion about anything, they never kept up with anything! All they could talk about was their kids. I always felt like I was cut from a very different cloth. My journey was not to be that, I did not get married for about 11 years after them all. Some of them are grandparents now!!
So what is my point for today. Well my dear friends, it is this. Friendship can and should be intergenerational. It needs to cross barriers and stereotypes. It needs to eliminate old mindsets of hanging out with people your own age.
If you find a friend who inspires, encourages and is such a laugh to be with, then stick with them. I remember one of my lecturers at teachers college talking about cultural diversity. I distinctly remember him saying that he had a variety of friends including a special needs one, but he had noticed that he didn't have an Asian friend! what??!! I still remember thinking what a dingleberry this guy is. He didn't have an Asian friend! Friends aren't limited to age, ethnicity. We are people not a statistic.  I really struggle with our famous social network having a person as a 'friend'. It therefore makes 'unfriending' a very nasty and horrible thing to do. But that whole social network friendship saga is for another day.
The one thing I have learnt is that a friend will be there for a reason or a season. It could be many years or just for a one time in your life. Don't put limits on the people you may meet. Be wise and discerning at the same time, there are life sucking woman out there who will drain you until you resemble a useless airbed on a camping trip. Be mindful of them and learn to close that door very nicely but quickly.
Friendships is such a broad topic, I could lecture you for so much more on my thoughts. I would like to finish in saying in the last years I have met some beautiful woman who have impacted my life, they are genuinely adorable ladies with a golden heart. I would hate to see them leave, I am not ready to let them go.

Richest blessing upon you my darling ladies.