Did you ever stop to think about just how amazing the friendships that you have really are? Of the billions of people on this earth, there are a select few that you've connected with on a deeper level and choose to keep in your life. More spectacular than that is the fact that this person has also chosen you! I believe that the universe provides us with the people we need to enhance our lives at the exact right times. There are no coincidences when it comes to friendships, so when you find the best, most enriching ones, do your best to appreciate them and help them continue to grow!
As we grow older, we learn what true friends really are and we learn what it means to be a good friend. Unlike high school where everyone you knew was considered a "friend," most of us are now at the point in our lives where it's the quality of the friends that count - not the quantity. A friend is someone who is special to you. The fact that you've known someone a long time or share an interest or two no longer merits a friendship. As we grow older we come to realize that we have a choice as to which people we want to share our lives with!
Just like falling in love, friendships are a two-way street. If you're lucky, you will find friends who make you a better person and fill voids in yourself that you may not even have known existed! A true friend will bring out the best in you and help you through your darkest times. If you have friends who fit that description, be sure to cherish them and make sure that you're being as good a friend back to them!
There is no telling how long a friend will remain in your life. From my own personal life experience, I have learned that as our lives change and we grow, we will naturally lose touch with some people just as we will meet new ones. I believe that as our lives evolve, so should our relationships. As our lives get busier and we get more and more responsibilities, we have less and less time for people. If you're lucky, you will learn which friendships are worth keeping and which are not worth the effort. You will also learn, as I have, that just because someone has been in your life for a long time does not mean that they need to have a place in your future!
I truly believe that a friend is meant to enrich your life, just as you are meant to enrich theirs. If you have a friend that is no longer bringing love and light into your life and has no interest in working that out, then you may want to reconsider the friendship. Losing friends is never easy, but you owe it to yourself and to your future happiness to surround yourself with people who make you better! Unlike family, your friendships are a choice, so choose wisely!
While we have a choice in which people we keep as friends, we don't necessarily get a say in how long we'll have them in our lives. Whether it is because they move to another city or because their lives are taken from us too soon, it is so important to cherish the important friendships in your life while you have them. One of my dearest friends was one that I met when I first moved to New York. Lanie came into my life when I really needed her and became my best girlfriend in the brand new city I now call home. While her sense of humor was very dry, I found her to be absolutely hilarious and she just made my life better and happier. No matter what, through the challenging times that we both went through, I knew I always had her in my corner and she knew she had me in hers. Unfortunately, after a brave battle with cancer, Lanie was taken from the world far too soon and I was left completely broken hearted. I will never forget her or stop appreciating her friendship for the incredible time that I was blessed to have her in my life. This devastating experience taught me to appreciate the people we love while we have the chance. We only get one life to live and just like our friendships, life itself is a gift.
Our best friendships can also be with our significant others. I am so blessed that my best friend is also the man I call my husband. To find such a connection with somebody on so many different levels has inspired me to be a better person and we learn from each other every day. Through ups and downs, we are able to get through everything and walk away stronger people because the root of our relationship is love and respect. I am so glad that I have learned to value my relationships with the special people in my life before it is too late. I am so fortunate to have some amazingly special people in my life who I know are there for me just as much as I am there for them through thick and thin. Every day on this earth is a blessing so I beg you to please recognize the beauty and value of your friendships.
Friendships are some of the most important relationships that we will ever have. When times are tough, we have our friends to lean on and help us through them and when good things in life happen, our friends are the ones we want to share them with! Whether your friends are your family, significant other or people who you were fortunate enough to meet throughout your life, embrace them and do all you can to be a good friend back to them!