Friendship

  

Friendship comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. It is something we find in an instant or spend a lifetime building. There are no hard and fast rules to live by and no two friendships are the same. While shared interests vary from friendship to friendship neither suffers from any lack. Because of our individuality we mesh in different ways within relationships.  We have friends to work out with, go shopping, play sports, commuter friends, work friends, neighborhood friends and family friends. Some of us have friends from school, maybe as far back as the first grade. Friendship is an opportunity to share a portion of self with other, making the rules and tailoring them to fit each relationship as needed. 

Sometimes good friends lose touch. Life gets busy and we don’t have the opportunity to see one another. As the time between visits grows it becomes uncomfortable to  attempt to get together, feeling embarrassed or guilty that so much time has passed, we avoid contact.  More time passes and the discomfort is defined by shutting down any attempt to reignite the relationship. We make excuses and find reasons why it is better this way, in spite of the uncomfortable gut feeling that you know you're doing the wrong thing, that you shouldn’t give up on any healthy friendship and allow life to get in the way. 

There may even be the friend that a disagreement has taken the energy from your relationship and because of your differences you’ve let time slip by. It’s hard to believe that even though you live so close you never even meet at the local bank or food store, it’s as if the Universe has not allowed your paths to cross until the day you hear your friend has gotten some difficult news. It is a health crisis and you feel awful. You realize you may have wasted precious time, so you make the effort. You text or send a card with your sentiments and are surprised by the immediate call from your friend welcoming you back, asking to get together and so you gladly, nervously comply. You realize that your time for being a real friend has just begun. It is now your time to show up and be a support, maybe even be the one that would help summit the biggest mountain of  life. You do whatever you can, you love them and their loved ones in ways you did not think possible. You tend to their needs while you feel like nothing you do is really enough, because you can’t fix this, it is out of your hands. You trust that The Power of All That Is has this one and will make it all work out. You are strengthened by their strength and your life is changed forever. And you are grateful for each moment you had, each one mattered. 

Life moves on and gets back to normal. You realize that there are others who you’ve lost touch with and you struggle with making contact. One day you meet up by sheer co incidence, so happy to see one another, to be in their presence and enjoy catching up. As you talk it feels like time has stood still and the space between then and now has dissolved. You realize that now is the perfect time to plan a dinner out. You discover things have changed, difficult times and tragic loss have shown up on their doorstep, in spite of the smiles and warmth they share. You give them space and wait on an appropriate time to contact them, and the day arrives. Their hearts are broken, you share their sadness and hear their story and pain. You pray that the right words will come and you find out that the moment you sent the message to arrange dinner was the perfect time, the moment they were feeling so hopeless. You thank the Heavens for your inspiration to make contact and give them your heart and love that helps them take the next step in healing. No judgement, just compassion and encouragement, love and words to empower them to find peace. You leave knowing that your relationship with them is so important and that you have much to give one another. Good times were shared in the past, so many laughs, joys and even disappointments have forged a friendship that you almost let go of. You are grateful for your courage to show up, to take a chance, to trust that a greater force is working through you and allow it to flow. You have only gratitude for the few hours you spent together and look forward to the next time... Soon, very soon.... 

Countless opportunities have risen throughout my life to help make me a better friend. A recent death of my sweet and dear friends dad whose loss hit hard leaving a void for this life long relationship of support, care and love. Being with her to soften the moments of despair, doing what I could to lend my faith and serve as best as possible. Later realizing that her appreciation for the little I did was meaningful beyond my understanding. This is life changing...  Even as I recall so many years ago when the loss of a young and vibrant husband to my dearest friend rendered her and her small children broken hearted. It was then that I was given the opportunity to witness how the grace of faith and hope over time, can bring life back to a broken family. When the most special man came into her life, quite unexpectedly, and  thrust her into a life of joy and laughter and wonderful, life shifted for all of us.  I witnessed this man become her husband and father to her children, and Pop to their grandchildren as time went by. I realize now that life gives us such gifts within the power of our friendships if we tend them as the jewel they are !  

Empowering Tip of the Day:

What is the point of this blog? It is not to berate or scold or judge, it is to empower you to act on your feelings, your real gut feelings, to know that your instincts are a greater guide than your thoughts. To know that when you find your center, you can’t get it wrong. You will be provided all you need through your connection to personal power and empower and uplift others. To take every meeting, friendship, family member and acquaintance as an opportunity to enjoy the gift of life. Now is the time to befriend one another, to love and exercise compassion, to find the things we share and build on them and to allow our differences to diminish. To let slip away the ideas that divide us and find our center, our path and our journey’s intersections. It is time for us to let go of feeling threatened when in reality all we need to do is stand together in our similarities. We can celebrate being part of this human race, we all, when dealt a difficult hand in life, realize how fragile we are and that time is precious. That there is no place for dissension and destruction of other, of their ideas or their dreams. All things work for good. History shows us that in the most horrific of times power and beauty is borne. Find your heart and follow it. Good times are coming, embrace them and point your thoughts in their direction so as a people we will prosper, live in joy and discover the abundance of beauty in our country and in our world. 

Dedicated to my friends, Valerie, Donna, Diane, Gina and Laurie ... I love you all..... 

The decision is ultimately ours to live in Pity or Power... what will it be? We can only be in one. 

Life is a journey, not a destination. 

Feel free to post your questions and comments. I look forward to hearing from you. Remember we are all on this journey growing and learning as we go, so your input will bring enlightenment to many. 

In Power, Peace & Love, 

Mary Ann

Make Today Great..... .