Friends Til The End

I have many friends. I love my friends dearly - and they definitely take good care of me - but today the issue came up that I may not really know who most of my friends are. I don't think I know many of them very well.

I got an email of encouragement from a wonderful friend - a person I consider a very close friend, and I thought I knew her pretty well, but the things she said in her email came close to shocking me out of my socks.

It got me thinking about how well I know each of my very close friends. The friends who are more like siblings to me than friends - Sarah Lynn, Chris and Kyra, Callie, Emily, and a few others - those people I know. Those people I would trust with my life without even blinking.

But the friends I hang out with several times a week - I don't think I know very many of them as well as I think I do.

I hope that I can learn more about them and maybe we'll all open up and not be afraid to talk about certain things.

I have learned that talking about the things that scare you, the things you think people will judge you for usually has the opposite response. It explains to people more about who you are. People love honesty and the ability for a person to open up and share.

I have had a big black cloud that I don't like to talk about - well, several of them. But I do it. Sometimes I just lay everything on the line (usually in my blog or an email), and then people get it. Sort of. As best they can.

I wish I could spend all my time having deep meaningful conversations with people. And knitting. I can knit and converse deeply at the same time.

So if you're one of those great friends I want to know better, don't be afraid to email me or call me or set up a time to chat. I don't remember the last time I judged a person for having a problem. I don't know if I ever have.

I believe that everyone has trials and issues in life - and we all can learn and grow from the mistakes we've made and the bad things we have to deal with. And the best way to figure things out is to talk about them.

So let's get talking. Let's start learning. Let's become a closer group of friends - our own family, if you will. A family of unconditional support and love - because I know we can do it. We're just that type of folksy.

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