Friendship

Have you ever had one of those days when you feel like crawling out of your skin, like the last place you want to be is where you are and just for a little while you would love to walk away from all your troubles? When really what you need is a kind word, a shoulder to lean on, the understanding of a close friend and hey, a hug would feel really good. It is so good to know you have a safe zone, someone who accepts you for who you are and loves you unconditionally.

Recently I had one of those days. And I had that shoulder to lean on. It was a particularly bad day, which just seemed to get worse as the day went on. My ‘runaway’ place was to a parent meeting. Now I know what you are thinking, she’s running away to a meeting – how sad - but this meeting was filled with my friends. And who should I meet as I walked down the hall but my ‘safe zone’. To see this face you could not remain in a bad mood because there is always a smile upon it. (Although, I have seen it lately when the smile is not so brave, not so self-assured but I was given the chance to realize how truly blessed I am to have this relationship because she has trusted me to share my shoulder. But that is not my story to tell). She was not going to allow me to continue feeling the way I did, immediately I was greeted with an out stretched arm and a warm loving hug. The moment we entered that meeting everyone knew what they were in for. They threatened to not let us sit beside each other because when we are on our game the laugh meter just can’t keep up. Needless to say, no one was having a bad day by the end of the meeting and as much as they swore we would never be allowed to sit beside each other at another meeting we knew they didn’t really mean it.

After the meeting I still needed to unload and she was there with her usual understanding and acceptance. With the listening came great advice and the reassurance that I need never to feel alone. And at the end of it all she reminded me how laughter can make a difference, it doesn’t solve the problems and pain but it goes along way to making it easier to cope.

Friendship is something of true value, something that is not to be taken lightly. It is give and take, and when you get to the point where you let yourself appreciate the value of friendship you know that you can take without guilt because you know that you will get your chance to give.

My friends keep me grounded and happy. They allow me to be myself, no matter what (don’t worry, they let me know when I have gone too far) and they give me the ways and means to cope with what life has to throw my way. But one of the best things about friendship is trust. It’s a two-way street of giving and taking and my friends give me the opportunity to be their ‘safe zone’.

Always remember to laugh.
Kris, thanks for teaching me the value of laughter.

Humor is a spontaneous, wonderful bit of an outburst that just comes.
It's unbridled, it's unplanned, it's full of surprises.
Erma Bombeck