Friends . . . Who Needs ‘em?

We all need friends, that’s who needs them!  We simply need each other to make our lives complete.

Recently I enjoyed a weekend in New York catching up with old friends. Some I’ve known since high school and our visits always mean a good time, even as the rehashing of old stories seems to collect more descriptive adverbs and adjectives each time we get together.

We spent hours around the kitchen table talking about our kids, what our lives are filled with now, and what classmates were doing across the country. It feels so good to stay connected as the years roll on. After all, childhood friends often influenced the person we are today and those old friends certainly know the events and times that impacted us as we grew up. They often know our extended families, which is something “new friends” won’t usually know, no matter how close they are to us.

What does friendship mean to you?

For me it means sharing life’s journey, even though paths may diverge or fork along the way. There is certain safety in a good friendship.  While we may disagree with friends about important things or hold different values, sincere friends don’t judge or criticize, although realistically they may gently nudge us to a different way of thinking.

They accept our flaws and like us just the way we are, warts and all.

Good friends don’t leave when the going gets tough. Instead they are there to share our burdens as well as celebrate our wonderful times.