Friends

Friends.  Those special people in our lives that are not blood-related, but they add something very special to our life.  Hopefully, the same can be said of us when viewed from the other - but that isn't the point.  I have not been able to make friends easily most of my life.  Actually, for a long time, I was cast out and bullied for so long that I just stayed away from people/peers.  Isolation.  Not a place I want to see again nor would I encourage someone to seek - unless for meditation.

The reason I am writing on this topic is because I have been extremely blessed the past few years with some pretty remarkable friends.  In addition, I have had the joy of observing my sweet girl making and maintaining her own friendships - which is also a blessing.  The above quote is my springboard for this blog for very good reason: there are so many different kinds of friends.  What kind of friend are you?  What kind of friends do you have?

I have thought on this a little - so this is in no way a voice of wisdom here.  There are at least two categories we all know well: 1) Acquaintances and 2) Thicker-Than-Thieves Friends. :)  Let me explain.

Acquaintances are the friends that you don't have the opportunity to bond with and do much more than socialize when the chance arises.  Sometimes they are folks you knew from school many moons ago or who you may have worked with at one time.  They are not the ones you pour out your life story on the moment you have a chance.  Acquaintances are the ones that you have some common interests with, but nothing beyond that.  Would you agree?

The second category, which I named, are the kind of friends defined by the quote that opened this can of beans!  These friends are the ones who cry with you, cheer you on, help you sound out some trouble to give clarity in resolving it, and so on.  Some of these are ones who are not necessarily the first you call on, but they will stop and listen/lend a hand when asked.  Others are the ones that you have on speed-dial and who have you on speed-dial too.  Both sets are the ones you have so much in common with, it is eerie how you finish thoughts the same or finish a sentence.  Have one of those?  I do.  I think my darling Kimbo has more than one ~ but that's okay.

Fact is, we all need friends and we should all be a friend.  The most important thing is to remember that we, as human beings, are not designed to walk this life in isolation.  The journey is more fun and joyful when we have others to walk along with.  Yes, our paths are not the same, but even so - the times when the paths come alongside and straight are the times we, if we admit it, are when having a friend or friends nearby are the best times in our lives.  Memories are made with friends - sometimes better than those we have with family.  Another thing is, and I hope you have experienced this, friends do become closer than family oftentimes.  Friends are impartial.  They don't have a stake in a choice - but they can help during that deciding process.  Family has a vested interest in choices we make.  So if we mess up, it hurts them and us.  A friend can confidently say, "I told you so" and not face anger (or at least not for a long time).  Know what I mean?

At any rate, I must close this blog for now.  In meantime, here are a few verses and a picture of my darling one with a few of her 'thicker-than-thieves' friends.

A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. ~ Proverbs 18:24

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! ~ Ecc. 4:9-10

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. ~ Proverbs 27:17

Be blessed and be a blessing ~

W