being a friend
As friends, we carry the happiness and hurts of our nearest & dearest. We ride the waves of life with each other – and I am so grateful for the amazing people who share their lives with me. Friends are different to family and lovers, these relationships have their own unique flare and intimacy and isn’t it amazing to be able to pick up the phone, or arrive on a doorstep, and be hugged, held, consoled, listened to, appreciated, propped-up, embraced, cheered up and encouraged?
In life, sometimes our friends help us manage the other relationships in our life. We can talk about our family relationships and our romantic ones. Friendship can create a safe space to say how we really feel, get it all out, and vent, whether it’s about love, work or family dynamics. Friends can make us stronger and braver, remind us of our inner wisdom and reflect back who we are when we forget. Because we can all forget… we fall off wagons, give up on dreams, go back to situations that weren’t good for us, sacrifice our values, take crap from others, get distracted, turn left when we should have turned right. And a good friend will always listen and guide us back to the home of ourselves.
It’s so wonderful to get all of this from another person we love and laugh with – but one of the gifts of friendship is what we can give back. Are we listening enough? Are we calling first or waiting for the other person to get in touch? Do we remember birthdays, anniversaries? Do we send good luck text messages? There is no rule book on friendship, but as I have grown older, I am learning how to be a good friend, rather than focusing on having good friends. It’s about what I am putting into the friendship and how I am showing up for others, that matters.
We are all trying, we are all busy and get stressed and life sure is a roller-coaster! But there’s always a way to make someone’s day, reach out, pick a flower for a friend or listen instead of talking. Just this once – it might make all the difference to a friend in need, a friend who loves us and we love in return.
Thank you to our models Amanda Suchy and Sarah Rose Adams, from our team in the US!
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