[2020-09-27] Friendship
I came across this beautiful quote on friendship the other day:
Friendship is not about who you've known the longest. It's about who walked into your life, said "I'm here for you" and proved it.
It feels very appropriate at this point in my life. I have been blessed with friendship from family, colleagues and strangers.
Today's post is an ode to friends.
Thank you for...
- celebrating my marriage to Chris
- sharing your music, treating me to online concerts and offering to sing for me
- describing the impact I have had on you
- reminding me to take care of myself
- telling me, over and over, how you and so many others are rooting for me
- sending me books and sharing your favourites
- encouraging me and expressing confidence in my ability to deal with this challenge
- making me laugh and reminding me to swear, purely for the therapeutic value
- telling me what's going on in your life quite apart from what's going on in mine
- sending food for me and my family—from squares to ice cream to entire meals and more
- sharing your stories of health and healing
- reaching out to my family members to support them
- offering prayers, positive vibes and virtual hugs
- sending and dropping off gifts, especially to soothe, warm and comfort
- recommending books, podcasts, apps, music and remedies
- sharing advice as someone who has also had a hysterectomy or survived cancer
- sending things of beauty—from hand-painted rocks to glassware to poems to cards to flowers to photographs
- offering to help, in any way
- writing again and again, just to check in
- inspiring some of my favourite blog posts
Many of you will recognize yourself in these additional quotes on friendship that I find inspiring:
"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
"There’s not a word yet for old friends who’ve just met."
— Jim Henson
"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone."
— Audrey Hepburn
"Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer."
— Ed Cunningham
"The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart."
— Elisabeth Foley
"There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate."
— Linda Grayson
"Anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you."
— Misty Copeland
I share this post not just as a thank you to everyone who has been a friend to me, but also to inspire you to reach out to others: old friends, new acquaintances, family members, colleagues, or strangers who have touched you.
Over the past two months, some people have said to me: "I wanted to write sooner but couldn't find the words." To that, I say, "take the leap." No matter the words you use, your intention will come through. That is the beauty of friendship.
