Friends are those rare people who ask how you are and then wait for the answer. ~Author Unknown
Recently I was in a group where we discussed having friends. To be honest, I felt a little uncomfortable with this subject. For the past few years, life has become so incredibly “busy”, not to mention stressful, that I gave up on the idea of having friends; let alone a best friend. It just took too much time; and who has any of that these days?
The conversation did, however, get me thinking about what I may possibly be missing. Granted, there are girlfriends in my life: girlfriends within my family like my dear mother, sisters, daughter and granddaughters; my work girlfriends, like my friend Katherine, who is a fellow blogger over at Home Made Haven; and girlfriends from my church family. Plus I certainly can't forget my loving husband, who is my very best friend in the whole wide world…
Your (best) friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you. ~ Elbert Hubard
Your (best) friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you. ~ Elbert Hubard
But I have no “BEST” girlfriend. Someone I can call and say, “Hey, let’s grab a coffee and go 'shop til we drop'." Someone who really understands and listens to me, and I to her, in spite of what moods we happen to be in that day. Someone who won’t do a vanishing act, when the going gets tough.
Looking back, my very first "BEST" girlfriend (not counting Flossy, my sweet Beagle dog) was in high school. We were inseparable and had so much fun; thinking we would be friends forever! However, I have learned that we sometimes outgrow friendships. As the years have gone by, I’ve had four or five best friends, but due to a variety of life circumstances, they, or I, have chosen to move on.
Looking back, my very first "BEST" girlfriend (not counting Flossy, my sweet Beagle dog) was in high school. We were inseparable and had so much fun; thinking we would be friends forever! However, I have learned that we sometimes outgrow friendships. As the years have gone by, I’ve had four or five best friends, but due to a variety of life circumstances, they, or I, have chosen to move on.
A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. ~ Walter Winchell
Nothing but heaven itself is better than a friend who is really a friend. ~Plautus
It has been my experience, that finding someone to be your best friend is an extremely difficult task. How do you do that? Does God place that person in your life? or do you go looking for a best friend that fits some type of criteria you’ve came up with in your mind?
When I did my research for this blog, I came across an interesting figure...
When I did my research for this blog, I came across an interesting figure...
Each and every month 40,000 people search for the phrase: “How to find a friend”. I find this incredibly sad because it indicates to me that there are a lot of lonely people out there that are craving friendship and, just like me, struggle to even know where to start.
According to the Mayo Clinic, “Friendships have a major impact on your health and well-being.” They also state that “Good friends are good for your health” because they:
Ø Increase your sense of belonging and purpose
Ø Reduce stress
Ø Improve your self-worth
Ø Help you cope with traumas, such as divorce, serious illness, job loss or the death of a loved one.
Ø Encourage you to change or avoid unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as excessive drinking or lack of exercise.
A friend is someone who is there for you when he'd rather be anywhere else. ~ Len Wein
In my next blog, I will explore some ways to find and keep friends, but in the meantime I’m curious about something and would love your feedback.
- How many of you have a “Best Friend”; someone that’s really there for you?
- How long have you been best friends?
May God bless you on your journey,
Susan
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