Friends

Friends. How does one define friendship or label someone as their friend? There is no formula one can compute or a standard to measure someone against. One just all of a sudden recognizes someone as a friend, and their bond as being friendship.

Each friendship is different, because each person is unique. What you share with one person cannot be duplicated. You cannot go into a friendship saying I want what I have with this friend to be exactly like what I have with this other friend. I learned that the hard way, I would try to fit myself and another into a mold of what I desired our friendship to be and it never would work out how I envisioned it. Rightly so, because I was looking at the relationship all wrong, I had the goal of what I wanted in mind and tried to fit the nearest friend into that mold. Rather than approaching my friendship without having a goal in mind, and simply allowing God to mold us and allow us to grow together according to His plan. Trying to fit someone into your plan is much more work and does not bear nearly as great of fruit as simply allowing God to place someone in your life according to His plan.

Friends are people in your life, for day, hours, or years that accept you as you are while still challenging you to be better, who are there during the joyous occasions as well as the times of fear and questioning. They are people who you can talk freely with, not worrying about if they will judge or hurt you. Speaking your mind is easier with them, although not always easy, and you know you will always find comfort in their embrace. Admitting your weaknesses, fears and failures to another is a sure sign of friendship. For you are trusting them with all that you are, knowing they will love you anyway. With friends words are not even needed, for simply being together brings peace to your soul and a smile to your face.

Friends are people who may hurt you from time to time, but by recognizing yourself and them as flawed human beings you are able to use these times of hurt to strengthen your love for each other through forgiveness. Friends see and bring out facets of you that you never before saw, helping you to grow into the complete person God created you to be.

Friends are gifts to be treasured. Enjoy their company, but be ready to say good-bye. Love them, and let them love you. Search out their truest selves, and be your truest self with them. Show them God, and they will show you God.

“Spend time with your friend: sweet time --- walking, playing, praying; not so sweet time--- disagreeing, hurting, searching. Friendship embraces the whole spectrum of life itself.” ~From Friendship Therapy