Friendship

I’ve been sitting here for two days trying to write a blog post about friendship. Looking up the definition online, asking ChatGPT to write me a blog hoping I’d get inspired, talking to friends about it. But this morning I realized I don’t really need to do any of that. I know what friendship is because I’ve been a friend to people much of my life. Also, I’ve had friends for as long as I can remember.

The dictionary definition of a friend is “person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection”. People use the term loosely, everyone they’ve met and exchanged pleasantries with gets the title friend. Then there are others like me that use the term very sparingly. I can tell you I have a handful of friends, the people that are involved in my daily life. Not just sending memes on social media and chatting sparingly. I’m talking about the people that love me and want to see me succeed. The ones that are fiercely protective of my existence. The people I send voice notes to when the funniest things happen, and the ones that comfort me when I’m distraught over living.

That’s what friendship is to me. It’s not always good times, and nights out. Sometimes it’s curling up on the floor in their home office when you feel your life is over. Or being forced to go to brunch so you can be outside among people instead of wallowing alone. It’s birthday celebrations at restaurants, and it’s also crying in voice notes trying to let out frustration. That’s the kind of bond I want, that’s the real meaning of friendship.

We hardly see each other, my friends and I. But we’ve cultivated such strong bonds so when we do see each other it’s as if no time has passed. That is the actual crux of friendship. The important thing is the bonds we’ve created. The unequivocal knowledge that we may not always agree with each other. Or we may not always approve of what the other is doing. But it doesn’t change the closeness we have, our differences instead is what makes our friendships interesting and long lasting.

I’m not here to brag about how great my friends are. The women who make time for me when I’m beating myself up, then say “I told you” when I realize how phenomenal I actually am. I’m trying to convey how necessary it is to have powerful relationships outside of your spouse, or families. Friends are important.  I’m blessed to have ones that I’ve known for decades. We have grown and excelled in life together. It’s an unbreakable bond.