Peep Love

Friends, song by Luscious Jackson

Where would we be without friendship?

In a day and age where social media rules the roost, culture changed the meaning of “friend.”  Whereas in past years, a buddy meant someone with whom you shared time, we reduced our definition of “friend” to someone who likes our photos on Facebook.

Despite this transformation, humanity’s perpetual need for close connection remains constant. Several weeks ago, I blogged about what constitutes your best life, and companionship merited a position on the shortlist. With whom we surround ourselves greatly impacts our quality of life. The people in our circles contribute to our overall positivity, provide influences, and help guide the trajectory of our lives.

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

 John 15:13 NIV

In the Book of John Chapter 15, the Bible equates great love with our willingness to put the needs of a comrade in front of our own without limit. This depth of dedication is difficult to grasp. To sacrifice one’s dreams for another proves selfless, however, to lay down one’s life is another story altogether. Few of us ever have to make a choice with such heavy consequences.

What else describes the bond of friendship?

“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.” 
― Elbert Hubbard

Friends stick around during the tough times, the rough times, and the ugly times. A true bond includes seeing the whole of someone and loving them despite their flaws.

 

“It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.” 
― Friedrich Nietzsche

The importance of friendship forms the solid foundation for many aspects of life and serves as building blocks for marriage commitments.

 

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.”

— C.S. Lewis

Companionship grows out of common connections and experiences. We identify with those who understand our past and our predicaments.

 

“A good friend is like a four-leaf clover; hard to find and lucky to have.” 

— Irish Proverb

The amount of comrades matters less than the depth of the attachments we form. Finding solid friendship is akin to striking gold.

 

“Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you; spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.” 

— Amy Poehler

The composition of those surrounding us is of the utmost importance.

 

So what can you do to ensure relationships enrich your life? Here’s some personal advice:

• Set up regular phone calls or “dates” with your “rocks” (your steady, best buds) so that you are able to stay intimately involved in their life happenings.
• Regularly send out encouragement to acquaintances as deposits for future friendships.
• Send snail mail. People rarely receive happy postal correspondence these days.
• Schedule time in your calendar each week labeled “friends” and then invite the person you haven’t seen in the longest amount of time out to do something.
• Plan a trip with friends.
• Express your gratitude for the wonderful people God placed in your life.

I don’t know where I’d be without my friends.  I’m eternally grateful for my peeps and the blessings they bring to my life.

Love, K.