Saturday night, I saw an old friend. She may actually be my oldest friend---all the way back from 4th grade. I had not seen her for about 16 years.
Just two days earleir, I interviewed her husband for a position at our gym. I didn't make the connection as to how or why he looked familiar. Not until I saw them together at the concert.
Small world.
And in that exact same small world, I start to think about friends. And friendship at The Little Gym.
I see it when children say their names in a group setting. That first uttering of their name in the group circle fills parents with such pride and children with such confidence. Then the little ones learn their classmates' names and it's begun.
I see it when children in our grade school classes teach the other kids different skills (without me asking). I see it out of the corner of my eye with their high-fives and chatter.
I see it when that three-year-old Funny Bug says "It's my turn!" instead of pushing their fellow Funny Bug out of the way.
I see it in Parent/Child classes when a child has his little heart set on that shiny green ball, you know the one, the one that's smaller than the others and just happens to be lots of children's favorites? Yes, that one. It makes me smile when they choose to share it. Willingly.
I see it during "Bring A Friend" week. Last week, children were able to invite their friends to their classes. I saw them floating on air as they showed off their skills, taught their friends how class "goes," and smiled non-stop. The fact that they got to play "teacher" to their friends was the icing on the gymnastics cake.
I see these friendships build every day. The kids meet their future "old friends."