I’ve been blessed with four sisters and three sisters-in-law. And each if them is awesome and unique. And then I have a handful for dear friends who love me, speak true to me and show my kindness.
My friendships have changed as I’ve gotten older and as I’ve entered new life stages. When I was young, friendship was convenient. I played with the kids at school or the kids in the neighborhood; I didn’t need to coordinate or plan friendship, it just happened. In college, I started to nurture deeper friendships. As I married, though, friendships became more complicated – did our husbands get along? Of course when kids entered the picture life becomes busier and there are more personalities at play.
The truth is, I work quite a bit, I have kids {one with special needs}, and it takes time to make dinners, do the dishes and wash the clothes. On an average day, I’m probably overwhelmed. Friendships, although important to me, often take a backseat; other things demand my attention.
I have sisters and dear friends who’ve stayed up until the early hours of the morning laughing with me, cried with me and shared my heartbreak, hopped in the car and drove hours just to hug me, weathered conflict and talked about the truly hard, dark stuff and still continue to love me. I don’t deserve it, but I’m grateful.
Friendships don’t come as easily as they did when I was younger. With all the busyness and reality of life, friendship during this season takes work. So I try to make time for weekly coffee dates with my local girlfriends. I chat on the phone with my twin sister almost every morning. I text my friends here and there to say I love them and I’m thinking of them. I apologize when I need to and say thank you often.
Most of all, I rely on patient friends, who are willing to pick up where we left off, and forgive me when I’m imperfect.
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down, his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
{Ecclesiastes 4:9-10}
How do you nurture friendship?
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