Friendship and Encouragement

I'm not good at making friends. Partly because I've never needed to (I had family); partly because I just don't get it. How do two people who just don't have that ground layer of really enjoying each other's presence ever have a real friendship? Oh, sure, we can get along and talk to each other and even have good times, but they're never the go-to person; they're never the friend that you tell your secrets to. They're a "going shopping with them or without them doesn't change the enjoyment level of the shopping" type of friend. Then there's people like my mom, where shopping is a hundred times better with her.

Maybe I just expect too much from friendships and want them to all be deeper than many can be; maybe my definition of real friendship is too narrow. I'm not sure.

More and more though, I'm desiring to be an encouragement to people. But I don't know how to be. I don't know how to talk to people I don't know. I don't know how to START friendships, although, I THINK I'm okay at keeping them going.

So, the question is, how can I either learn how to make friends, or be an encouragement without being a close friend to someone? I feel like I'm an easy person to get to know - as long as someone is asking me questions. Or through something that's not actually directed at them - like this blog, for instance. But people don't just want to get to know me, haha. Why would they? So how do I learn to initiate?

Obviously, it's something I need to start praying about. But it's also something that I'm very open to suggestions about. So if you have any, please share.