Friendship Is A Nutrient, Too
Our friends, mentors, and support systems are important for our health and overall well-being. When we let others in, we can let some of it go, and make room to enjoy the ride — together.
Photo & artwork by The Purple Thread
These are some of my best friends in this world from different parts of life. I’ve needed them all in different ways and at different times, and I hope I’ve been able to be the same support for them. Some have known me since the day I was born, others for 10, 20 years already. Some have become friends with each other. One friend is even married to another one's brother! You get it.
Often, time works against us, but we always pick up where we left off. We welcome the random texts and calls to hear that familiar voice. We schedule the monthly dinners and reschedule if we have to. We stop by when we’re in the area.
We’ve held each other through breakups, illness, deaths, moves, and utter overwhelm. We know when the solution is chicken fingers and when it’s a long walk. We say I love you, I miss you, thinking about you. We celebrate and cheer each other on. We take turns being the first to reach out and understand that it's not personal.
We know now, that with the right people, we get what we give.
I used to think when we get to a certain age, it clicks. We’ve made it! We figured it out! Not quite, not ever. And that's the point. It can also be the fun of it if we let it. People will come in and out. I can't believe some of the special friends I've made in only the last few years, by being curious, open-minded, even if a little nervous at first. It’s now hard to imagine life before them. We keep learning and growing, and maybe we start to see that expectations and comparisons are silly and that we're wrong in thinking no one cares or that we have to carry it all by ourselves. It's heavy!
We are each on our own paths. But we can still hold hands at the crossroads. So as we take turns being the ones hurting and helping, remember that a little support is only ever a conversation away.
Are you asking for what you need? Are you sharing what you can give?
It’s true that friendships “enrich your life and improve your health.” For more on the power of surrounding yourself with your people, read our post about The Roseto Effect.