Friendship

Do you have good friends? Are you a good friend? I mean, do you ever ask yourself this question? What does friendship mean to you? Let’s chat about it…

So, if you keep up with my blog, you will know that I’ve had some rough patches in my life…more over the last 5 years than I care to think about. Recently, I was really struggling and I had a knock on my door after my one friend found out what I was going through. It was her son, as she lives far away, he was dropping off Panera to me – salad, soup and cookies. He asked if he could give me a hug and said ‘I hope that what you are going through gets better’. Well, I thought I was getting a hold of my emotions but nope…that sent me right over the edge again. It immediately made me want to ‘up’ my friend game. I told my friend that I truly strive to be a friend like her. She is truly one of the most thoughtful and beautiful humans I know. We can all take a page out of her book. AND, can I please acknowledge what an amazing human she raised…I mean Wow!

Taking my recent situation to a different level…I was very quiet and shut everyone out the first handful of days. I was really trying to process what I was going through. I didn’t want to be greeted that next week with ‘how was your amazing long weekend with your boyfriend’ comments, so I decided to head it off at the pass. I did reach out and let a handful of close friends know what was going on, I was very brief and just said that I wasn’t ready to talk about it. EVERY SINGLE ONE of them replied with they love me and are there for me when I’m ready. BEST RESPONSE EVER! No prying, just respecting my wishes. THIS is true friendship.

I’m extremely fortunate to have a group of friends that have been in my life since junior high/high school days – we are talking over 35 years of memories, laughter, tears, births, deaths, divorce and love…SO much love! We don’t talk every day, but I tell you what, if one of us needed something we would rush to their side. We try our best to at least plan an annual trip. I’d do anything for these girls! Fun fact, I went to kindergarten with one of these friends and we were reunited again in junior high – lucky me.

These weren’t my only friends from high school I keep in contact with, I have some other great friends that I still connect with once and a while – definitely wish it was more often. I was lucky to have gone from elementary all the way through high school with quite a few people too. Facebook is good for some things and I love watching their lives unfold. I have an overwhelming amount of cherished memories with so many beautiful people – I’m a lucky girl.

Then there are those friends that you’ve met in the workplace. Shoot, we are at work more than we are at home and I’ve made some solid friendships at work. All of my friends went away to college. I tried that for a little less than a year and got into the workforce. I’ve been working a fulltime job since I was 19. I’ve had some awesome co-workers through the years and really fond memories. I’m grateful for those relationships and all the wisdom shared over the years. Two of my dearest friends are my co-workers and I couldn’t imagine going through the last 10 plus years without them by my side.

You also have your ‘Mom’ friends or the friends you’ve met along the way through your kids. These are special kind of friendships. Even if our kids don’t stay in contact, us Mom’s have a special bond. We shared so much of our lives together at school functions, Brownie’s, soccer practice, carpools, coffee dates, etc. We were in the throws of parenthood together and I don’t think I would have come out of it the same without those relationships. Shoot, one of my closest friends is my daughter’s ex-boyfriend’s Mom (Yep, you read that right). We got each other in their break-up and I’m so very grateful.

Lastly, you have your family that have turned into friends and vice versa. You know, the older you get, your Mom will still be your Mom, but she will also be one of your best friends too. Your family can definitely be part of your friendship circle (or not) – you get to make this choice. There are those special kind of friends that have been around so long, they are like family. I have a friend that I’ve known since high school that will spend the holidays with us from time to time and it makes my heart so happy – she is a beautiful friend, yet also like family.

So, I will ask the question again – are you a good friend? Are you the type of friend that YOU would want to be friends with? It’s OK if you are lacking a bit in this department, I’m not here to judge…just to remind you about what I think is important in life. I’m truly blessed to have met some really cool people in my lifetime and I don’t take those friendships for granted. 100%, I would not be where I am today with my friends! I’d say one of the biggest bummers is that there just isn’t enough time to see everyone I want to see as often as I’d like to see them. Let’s make a pact to just strive to be better – better to ourselves and those around us. Nourish the relationships in your life, water those gardens and definitely don’t take them for granted. Go buy yourself some flowers and smile. It’s a good day to have a good day!