My friends are amazing. There are friends who have been with me my whole life and some I have met along the way. I talk with regularly with some of my friends, and others I see for coffee or a meal. I have guy friends and girlfriends. A few of my friends are relatives and others aren't, but they feel like family. There are qualities that my friends have in common that I hope they know I appreciate. My friends are people who care about others and the world. They are people that are dedicated to the well being of others and they express it in their families, their community, and their work. I have been fortunate to have dear, sweet, funny, sharp. silly, insightful, empathic, and loyal friends. I don't know where I would be without these dear people in my life.
All of us have had to make it through tough circumstances - life is full of them. We share with each other and somehow we always seem to make it through to the other side. One of the things I love about my friendships is the level of honesty and sharing. My guy friends are as dear to me as my girlfriends, and we have proven that guys and gals can build a solid friendship. Some of my friends share easily and others are a bit more reserved, but at the end of the day we know, without a doubt, that we are there for each other. Women who have learned to be fiercely independent know that leaning on a friend isn't a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength and being able to depend on each other is what friendship is all about. Sometimes it's hard for me to feel so vulnerable in sharing what's in my heart, mind and even my soul, especially around the vulnerability I feel with my illness issues. But I trust my friends and I know my heart is in safe hands, just as theirs is with me.
The past few years I have needed my friendships as much as ever, maybe even more. I certainly have spent more time alone the past year than I have ever spent alone in my life. But even in my isolation, my friends have stayed in touch in lots of ways that have made me feel connected and appreciated. We use the current social media stuff, phone calls, email, and visits. They are full of interesting news and we always wind up laughing and finding the lighter side of life. Because of my health concerns, phone calls and visits have really suffered - there are lots of days that I don't even have the energy for a phone call let alone a visit to socialize or get caught up on each other's lives. I hope my friends understand. I've tried to be clear about why I am not so good at staying in touch, but friendships need attention. I get that a friendship can't be one-sided, and I haven't been terrific about holding up my end of the relationship. It's been a while since I've made a new friend, but even if I never make another new friend in my life, I appreciate the riches in friendship that I am blessed to share.
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