Friendships

 

I was thinking on March 28, 2016 that I find that throughout the years from childhood to adulthood friendships change.  I remember before I started Elementary School the majority of my friends were from my neighbourhood.  Often all I had to do was walk down my street and there would be a few of my friends outside playing on their lawns.  The world seemed so big back then.  Anything outside of my area seemed like it was on the other side of the world.

When school started I had a few friends I knew from my area, which I had become close to.  That made it easier to start school as I didn’t feel like I was alone there.  With having classes five days a week it almost felt like camp as everyone got to hang out with each other for eight hours of the day.  I found when I was in the younger grades I wanted to be friends with everyone as I wanted everyone to like me.

Eventually as I got into the middle of Elementary School I started having mainly girls as friends as I didn’t connect with boys the way I had before.  The really sweet thing is around that age my older siblings would let me hang out with their friends when they were around the house.  It made me feel important, instead of just being their little sister.

I found the friendships that meant the most to me when I was younger were my best friends and my siblings.  I had two close friends that I had growing up.  Both of them were special to me in their own way.  One was fiercely loyal to me as I noticed not a lot of people wanted to be her friend, but I saw the kind-hearted person she was.  She sometimes would get really emotional at times, which bothered a lot of my classmates.   I didn’t think that was a bad thing as not everyone was able to express themselves as to how they felt at that age.  I know I couldn’t, which made me happy to see that she could.

My other friend was very much an extrovert, which worked well for both of us as I was an introvert.   It really came in handy when we had to talk in front of the class as she would do most of the talking and I would add a little to what she was saying.  The thing I really appreciated about her was that even when later on when I found she started to make a lot more friends, she still always made time for just her and I.  She knew that I did better one on one then in a group.

There were even times when I was younger I had so much fun hanging out with my siblings, I would sometimes forget to hang out with my own friends.

From high school on I found that I didn’t need to be friends with everyone in my class as the small group of friends I had was good enough for me.  With having less friends, I was able to form stronger friendships with each friend of mine.  I actually even became instant best friends with a girl, as we were going through very similar things in our teenage years and also our 20s.  This was unusual for us, as normally both of us would be friends for awhile with someone before we became best friends.  It helped that we were able to support and talk to each about everything in our lives.  I find sometimes you can’t always do that with other friends that haven’t gone through the same issues as you have.

My most recent friendship is with my husband.  For me this was a little different as we became boyfriend and girlfriend then fiancés and then husband and wife in a short amount of time.  In that short time, I found that I could be the most comfortable with him than anyone else.  While we were dating we became close friends, and after we got married I realized that we had become each others best friend.  There isn’t anyone else in my life that I get so excited to have in every moment of my life.  I think that is how it should be with a husband and wife as they usually spend the most time with each other.

I know that God put each of my friends in my life at one point or another to help me through hard times, to have fun, to learn to be myself, to learn how to love and care for others and for many other reasons.  There are only a few of my friends I still have from my childhood, but I don’t mind as those are the ones I’m closest to.

Patricia <3 J

 

Psalms 133:1    Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!

 

Here’s a good song about that we pray for blessings, and for peace.  We also pray for healing, and for God’s mighty hand to ease our suffering.  That our Lord hears each spoken need.  That it’s possible that our blessings come through raindrops.  That it’s possible that our healings come through tears. 

  That sometimes it takes many sleepless nights to know that our God is near.  That our trials could be mercies in disguise.  That we may feel anger when we don’t feel Him near, and this cause use to doubt His love and more.  But He has actually heard each desperate plea – we just need to have the faith and belief that there are still blessings through those hard times, and He won’t leave us.

 

“Blessings” by Laura Story

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1pqiMvTM3o&list=PL3whQX319DaB37iB8NZpJe206iSdpe3kc&index=129