Traveling the Road of Life With Friends

Doc and I were blessed to have two old fiends come to visit on Saturday. After they left the house, Doc told me that if you are lucky, you will have long term friends that have witnessed your journey, shared experiences and provide a sense of stability in a world that constantly changes. It is especially comforting, that as you age and older generations pass away, that you still have those friends to rely on. I couldn’t agree more.

I have lived in the same house for the 12 + years of my life, and feel lucky to have had best doggie friends named Norman and Frankie that lived next door until their family moved away last year. I miss playing with them everyday and just hanging out, but I know when I get to see them again, we will pick up right where we left off and have a great time together.

That’s just the way life is sometimes. As you go through the different phases in your life, you may not see all of your friends regularly, maybe even years go by, but if it’s a real bond, you can pick right back up where you let off the last time you saw each other. Doc says that her true lifelong friends have seen her at her best and her worst and it’s always a safe place to land, when you can be your authentic self with someone. Personally, I think that’s why so many people love dogs, we love you and accept you just the way you are.

We all know that for friendships to last, they need to be built on a foundation of mutual respect, trust, loyalty, shared interests, effective communication, support and empathy. Sadly, there are times you think someone is a friend and over time you find that what you are giving is not reciprocated. If so, it may be time to move on. But, don’t despair, you never know when you may meet someone that will develop into a good life long friend.

So today, as you think about the friends in your life that you appreciate, don’t forget to let them know. If there is one you haven’t reached out to in a awhile, don’t put it off, reach out and schedule a time to get together. it will do your heart good.