Friendship is near and dear to me. A life without at least one really good friend would be rather empty. I thrive on people contact. I love to hear what people think and feel. I like to see what makes them tick. I have a diverse group of friends who are spread out all over the place. I am sure you do too. I love them and I am guilty of taking for granted that they will be there forever.
Friends are the folks who know you best. They let you have your drowning in sorrow moments but then they help pull you out of the mud and move forward. (ref: Ecclesiastes 4:10) It's your "goto person" as they say on my favorite television show (Grey's Anatomy). It's your ride or die friend. It is the person who loves you despite what they know about you. It is the person you expect to share everything with and to always be there. Have you told your closest friends that they mean something to you. Have you told them that you love them and appreciate their presence in your life? Can you really speak the truth to them in love?
Friendships are precious. They need to be nurtured. Friendships are relationships. God has called us into relationships and we are to treat those relations with care. Today, I challenge you to inspire and encourage your friends. Let them know how they impact your life. I do not mean send them a darn chain e-mail, either. Examine the friendship closely and insure it is not negative. If it is, weigh the pros and cons and take action to change it. Remember, some friendships are only meant to last a season.
What does friendship mean to you? Are you a giver or taker in the relationship? Are you as available to your friend as they are to you in your time of need? That is not to say that occasionally the relationship will not be lop-sided but that should not always be the case. To have a friend you have to be a friend. So tell me, what things define a true friendship. I know what I think but I want to know what you think. I will post a future blog about your responses. So please share! Till next time, I gotta go!
Copyright: September 14 , 2009 by Pamela Cole Thorpe
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
This topic is near and dear to my heart also. I took friendship for granted because I thought everyone shared my view of friendship and treated their friends in the same vein. I was blithely going through life like this until about 6 years ago and got a devasting blow to the gut of someone I considered my "best friend". It has taken me a long time to understand the whole friendship for a season. Because I had lifelong friendships, the thought of not having those folks in my life, was unfathomable.
ReplyDeleteFriendships are really marriages and require much work. Just as in marriage, Love, Communication, Respect and Trust are essential. If any of these are missing, the friendship/relationship will not thrive. I CHERISH my friends and do my utmost not to take them for granted and let them know on a regular basis how special they are to me. I think this generation however doesn't forge friendships in the same manner and they are suffering for it. Having a daughter, I try to model friendships that are good and healthy.
So there you have it My Favorite . . . the same but different! :-)
My friends are my world. What makes one better than another and what defines those who have lasted the longest? True transparency, honesty and real love. Love you like a sister (or brother), but no blood required! I agree with DivaDorna, they are indeed like marriages. Some days up, some days down, often requring work, compromising and forgiveness. Different in that they may only be designed for a season. But, in the end, they are one of the cornerstones of my life.
ReplyDeleteFriendships are an interesting thing to me. I must say that in recent years I've struggled with the dynamics of friendships. My inner circle friends have dwindled significantly - living outside of my home country has had a profound effect on this. I'm learning that everyone has unwritten and sometimes unspoken expectations of their friendships. I'm learning that it's ok when people move from inner circle to acquaintance - it's hard to accept but it is reality. So I guess it's true that it is something like a marraige; breaking up is a painful process. The difference is that you don't make a vow to be friends forever - "til death do us part" - which is probably a good thing.
ReplyDelete