Mar
True Friends
I was thirty before I discovered what friendship really meant.
No, not the kind of friendship where you play Barbies from sunup to sundown…or do each other’s hair…or talk until the wee hours of the morning about everything and anything. I had lots of friends like that along the way.
But I was thirty before I really got it. I mean, really, truly, got it.
Maybe some of that was simply an older/wiser kind of thing. Maybe some of that was because life wasn’t so light and easy anymore. Maybe it’s because I was simply meant to wait that long. Whatever the reason, though, I can honestly say it was worth the wait…
Was there an occasional movie with this friend? Sure.
Has she done my hair on occasion? More times than I can count.
Have we talked for hours on end? Many, many times. Sometimes even without popcorn!
What’s different this time around, though, is all the other stuff–the unwavering support, the constant hand, the listening ear, the encouraging words, the swift kick when it’s needed most…
Friends like those are rare. Friends like those are to be cherished and celebrated.
So that’s what I want to do this week. I want to talk about those friends who have changed our lives for the better. I want to share the kinds of things they’ve done that have impacted our lives and given us hope when it’s needed most…
C’mon, join in. Then be sure to stop by again throughout the week to see how the conversation has grown.
Here’s to true friendship. If you have it, you know it.
~Elizabeth Lynn
March 20th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Wow, this book sounds so interesting – I love books about women friends. Mine have gotten me through births of children, death of parents and divorce. I can’t wait to read it. Good luck, Elizabeth!
March 21st, 2009 at 8:48 am
I’m gonna jump back in for a moment and give some specifics on one of my friends. When my then 1 year old was thought to be having seizures (she wasn’t–migraines) she had a lot of testing in the hospital. This friend went with me–as my support while I was there for my baby. This friend has traveled 6 hours to help me move from my old home into a condo and then stayed to help get everything ready before the kids came. This friend also traveled 6 hours to do my first M.S. walk with me (despite sleet and freezing cold temps). She gave me the shove I needed to make a crucial health decision. And she has this amazing knack for popping up with a phone call when I need it most. I could go on…and on…and on…but I want to hear from other people.
March 21st, 2009 at 9:06 am
Love the site! The flowers in the corner reminde me of a quilt that my grandmother made. I need to find that pattern and get one done for my couch. In my spare time that is. LOL
I’m kind of a long distance friend. I’ve had several friends who would go to the mat with me but I think I’m the one who puts up walls to limit interaction. I realized however, how much I appreciated my group when I ran through my cancer treatments two years ago. Those I didn’t scare away will be lifetime friends. And I’m not beyond picking up the phone and calling someone I haven’t talked to in years.
I’m really excited about the new book. I”m a big fan of knitting books (like Maggie Sefton and Debbie Maccomber) and this sounds right up my alley.
Good luck
March 22nd, 2009 at 10:57 pm
You are very right. True friends like that are quite rare.
I understand what Lynn is saying about the walls. I’ve run into so many other people’s walls that sometimes I wonder if it’s even worth the effort, so I’ve pretty much started to make my own walls as well. It’s hard to be one of those rare friends when you run into walls.
I’m really looking forward to the new book. I can’t wait to read about the friends in the sewing circle.
March 23rd, 2009 at 4:54 pm
I think the older you get, the harder it is to make true friends. Because of those walls Beth and Lynn are talking about. It’s a protective thing. But it makes me oh-so-grateful for the friends I do have!
March 24th, 2009 at 9:34 am
Oh, yes, I know what you mean. And my two best friends live 6 hours away too. But that distance disappears because what we do for one another knows no distance.
Love the site, too