This article will first post on February 14, 2021, Valentineโs Day. This is a good day to focus on relationships, especially friendships. Lori Deschene (Founder of Tiny Buddha) said, โYou canโt force anyone to value, respect, understand, or support you, but you can choose to spend your time around people who do.โ The following story really drives her point home.
During a prank, a student stuck a paper on his classmate’s back that said “๐’๐บ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฑ,” and asked the rest of the class not to tell the boy. Thus the students began laughing on and off. The afternoon math class started and their teacher wrote a difficult question on the board. No one was able to answer it except the boy with the sticker. Amid the unexplained giggles, he walked toward the board and solved the problem. The teacher removed the paper on his back and asked the class to clap for him. She told him: “It seems that you donโt know about the paper your classmate has pasted on your back.”
Then the teacher looked at the rest of the class and said, “Before I give you a punishment, let me tell you 2 things: First, throughout your Life, people will put labels on you with many nasty words to stop your progress. Had your classmate known about the paper, he wouldn’t have gotten up to answer the question. ๐๐น๐น ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ถ๐ป l๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐น๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป, ๐ด๐ฟ๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ณ.”
“Second, she said, โitโs clear that he doesn’t have any loyal friends among you all to tell him about the sticker. It doesn’t matter how many friends you have – it is the loyalty you share with your friends that matters. ๐๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป’๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ, ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐, ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐, ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ ๐ฎ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ. Choose your friends wisely.”
Indeed. We should choose our friends wisely. Our friends should first and foremost value, respect, understand, and support us. Our friends help us move beyond any labels that get attached to us. John Maxwell (American author, speaker, pastor) says, โWe all need that person in our lives that brings positivity and sunshine. Be the friend that is transformational and helps cast vision for those that cannot see so clearly.โ
Friendships โ those relationships and connections we have with others which are characterized by assistance, approval, and support and where key components include trust, concern, care, and understanding – are vital to a successful life journey. According to the Mayo Clinic, good friends: help us celebrate good times and provide support during bad times; prevent loneliness; increase our sense of belonging and purpose; boost happiness and reduces stress; improve our self-confidence; and, help us cope with seismic life changes, like divorce, job loss, death of a loved one, or serious illness.
Friends provide a measure of stability that is most helpful when dealing with the bumps associated with our life journey, especially changes that rock our world. Friends listen, encourage, provide suggestions and advice, and are just there to provide whatever support may be needed.
I have many friends, but two are noteworthy because they have withstood the test of time (60+ years) and distance (often separated by thousands of miles). They are definitely long-term best friends forever (BFF). What has kept these two friendships going for all these many years?
Acceptance. We have always accepted each other just as we are. We value each otherโs strengths. We are balanced by our differences. We take our shortcomings in stride. There is an appreciation for who we are. We seem to bring out the best in each other. And the love we have for each other is unconditional.
Shared values. While each of us is very different, our basic values (those lasting beliefs or ideals about what is good and desirable) seem to be aligned. Values such as faith, hope, love, kindness, respect, and compassion are at the foundation of each friendship.
Connection. When face-to-face get togethers are not possible, we keep in touch through phone calls, texts, emails, video chats, Zoom gatherings, cards, notes, or letters. We make it a priority to stay in touch. There isnโt always a reason for a call or a card or a virtual visit. Sometimes we connect just because.
Commitment. When distance separates friends, each must be committed to the relationship enough to make the effort to stay in touch. (The friendship with these two BFFs was forged long before the day of instant communication. Long distant phone calls โ on land lines – and snail mail letters were the two ways to stay in touch when miles and miles separated us and work and family responsibilities kept us busy.)
Openness. We are not afraid to share our thoughts, feelings, fears, or dreams. Whether we are celebrating something or struggling with something, there is an ease in sharing it. We are comfortable with each other even in our most vulnerable moments. We can laugh, cry, vent, and express any emotion and feel comfortable doing so.
Enjoyment. Time with these BFFs is positive. Even when dealing with challenging situations, there is a positive undercurrent to our interactions. When together, we have fun.
Support.ย We are there for each other.ย No matter how near or far, we can always be โbesideโ each other to help us through a rough spot.ย We provide quiet strength for each other.ย We send positive energy and vibes.ย We listen while being silent.ย And, we are willing to drop everything to be right beside the other if necessary.
Honesty. We donโt always say what the other wants to hear. We are upfront and honest with each other. We provide our own take on situations even when positions differ.
Another very good and dear of friend of mine for the past 25 years says, โGood friends tickle my heart and my mind; they challenge me to grow emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually and they love me unconditionally.โ On this day of hearts (or whenever you read this), take stock of your friends that tickle your heart and mind; that challenge you. Think about the lasting friendships and what has kept the friendship going. Take time to thank your friends for how they enrich your life and how they bring positivity and sunshine to your days. Lasting friendships reinforce that the choice made, was indeed, a wise one. Our lasting friendships are a true gift. Treasure the gift for all times.