Do You Seek Out New Friends?

Ever notice how easy it is to become complacent and not reach out to others, even when you think you might have something in common?

For example, yesterday in my Toastmaster's meeting a new member gave her Icebreaker speech. This is a 4-6 speech that introduces the speaker to the group. I loved yesterday's speaker. She spoke of searching for meaning in her life, but did so with humor and insight. She grew up in Germany and now lives in the U.S. As she was speaking, I was thinking, "She's someone I would be interested in getting to know better."

And yet, I left the meeting without saying anything to her other than, "Great speech."

Does anyone else relate to this? Do you actively seek out new friends or are you content with those already in your inner circle?  I tend to be a person who has a wide range of acquaintances, but few close friends.  But I like having a wide breadth to chose from and that so many of my friends are so different from one another. I sometimes wonder if I threw a party and invited everyone, would anyone get along? =)

I have my artsy friends, my writer friends, my running friends, my past colleague friends, my spiritual friends, my younger friends, my older friends, my neighbor-friends, my funny friends, my wound oh-so-tight friends, my long-distance friends, my "kind-of-wish-they-weren't-anymore" friends (Oh, save it. You have them too.), and of course, my best friend.

Many fall into several groups, depending on the day and time you catch them. I wonder how others categorize me? I know I'm a writer and runner friend to some. But I do tend to slot people into categories (just to keep track of them) and it's fun imagining how I may get slotted myself.

Then again, some things may be better left unexamined...