Friendship

I smiled as I slipped the envelope into the mailbox. I silently wished the recipient, a friend of mine, good wishes and hoped she would have a great birthday. I also hoped the card arrived on time. Like many of my friends, she and I rarely get to chat or hang out even thought she only lives across town, but I think of her often nonetheless.

I return home and find an email in my inbox from another friend who lives across the country. She and I grew up together in Illinois. The opening line is, “OH LORD, it’s been 3 months since you wrote?!? Sorry!” I laugh because this is normal between us. We try to catch up via email every few months or so. It’s not a big deal at all. She has a demanding job, and I have a toddler.

I find another message from, Courtney, my best friend – who is really more like my handpicked sister. Her message contains an article titled “I Suck at Being a Friend Right Now” talking about how life gets hectic when you have little children and how hard it is to find time to spend with others. I send her a note back assuring her that I totally understand, that I suck at this too, and that I’m sending her hugs.

These instances give me pause… I know many beautiful souls that I am honored to call my friends. I still have a couple friends from my childhood even after moving miles away at the age of 13; and we have maintained our bond through all these years. I have friends from high school and college; as well post school days when coworkers become more than just individuals you work with. Indeed, I have people that I have gathered to my heart from every stage of life. And there they remain – in my heart, frequently in my thoughts, and always in my prayers.

Unfortunately, life has a way of rushing us ever forward at a faster pace than many of us prefer. I regret that I don’t see or talk with many of the wonderful people I mentioned above as often as I’d like. Such is the story of adulthood when things like bills, jobs, obligations, and family time consume most of our waking hours. I suppose this is pretty normal, and some things, like time spent with loved ones, are important.

However, I would like to say to my friends reading this (you know who you are) that you are still important to me. I wouldn’t be where I am today without each of you. We have shared many, many memories, life experiences, ideas, and dreams together. I share a unique bond with every single one of you. My strongest and fondest memories vary; some include childhood fun, adolescent strifes, crazy college days, career plans and goals, life’s ups and downs, and/or spiritual growth. We have been through many joys and sorrows together. I am grateful to count you among my friends and I am always appreciative of the laughter and the occasional shoulder to cry on. Even though we may not spend as much time together as we once did, please know that you are still never far from my thoughts.

Indeed; it’s true that friendships are sometimes harder to maintain as we grow older and we struggle with our day to day responsibilities. It’s also true that we should still make time for those we care about. However, I think true friends understand. They get that everyone else’s life is crazy right now too and that all of us are facing challenges, whether it’s climbing the corporate ladder, simply surviving work, being the taxi driver for all your kid’s extracurricular activities, or maybe just trying to tackle the potty training phase. Trust me; we are all struggling with something.

That being said, if you find yourself nodding along and relating to this post, the next time you have a break in your busy schedule, give at least one of your friends a call and plan a get-together. It’s OK that our adult friendships don’t include daily communication, but we still need to keep our relationships alive with laughter and support.

Behind the scenes fun (or funny) fact…

The bracelet pictured above might end up being Courtney’s birthday present haha.