The Value of Friendships

The older I get, the more I realize just how important it is to have friendships. Relationships in general are tough. They require work. They require that you put your selfishness aside and think of others once in a while. It's in times of crisis that you are really shown who your support system is and how strong they are. This weekend, there have been a few things that have reminded me the value of life and the value of each other. A girl who was in my women's small group lost her mother to a heart valve defect and a couple that we are good friends with are currently in the hospital waiting the outcome of a high risk pregnancy situation. I also had my mom who was just having a bad day. In two of these situations, the people had a really great support system. Friends and family were able to lift them up and help them carry the burdens that they are dealing with. But in the third case, no one was there.

It's amazing to see the difference in the three cases. And it makes me keenly aware that I need to surround myself with good friends. I also need to BE a good friend. I have many friends and aqaintances. But I mainly have 2 that I count as my closest friends. These are the ones that I can call at 3 in the morning just to talk if I ever needed to. They are the first ones to show up when I have a crisis. They are the ones that I can bounce crazy ideas off of and they still love me even when I'm weird. I read somewhere that "A friend is one whom you can be yourself with and never fear that they will judge you. A friend is someone that you can confide in with complete trust. A friend is someone you respect and that respects you, not based upon worthiness but based upon a likeness of mind."

Today as we sat at the hospital with our friends, I watched as several people came to visit, each sharing words of encouragement, hugs and tears. At one point, there were about 8 of us crowded into this little room and we were all laughing and joking. I watched our friends' faces went from worry to peace. Friendships bring comfort. The outcome of the situtation hadn't changed but it was a little more bearable with people there to share the burden.

"Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family." Proverbs 18:24 (The Message)

Now sometimes, you are "family" because you were born to the same parents or you share the same grandparents. And sometimes "family" is more than just blood. You don't share the same DNA but you share the same heart. I believe I am blessed to have both. Tonight I am very grateful for my family and my friends.