Call to Friendship

Beyond mother, beyond father, brother or sister; beyond husband or wife, son or daughter, there is friendship.

To be a friend is to believe in someone's becoming so deeply that you can forgive their mistakes. You want the best for your friends so you stand by and watch as they choose their best. Friendship is the crowning jewel of every relationship, but when too focused on exercising the authority of our role, we lose sight of it.

Don't be a mother, be a friend. Don't be a father, be a friend. Be a friend as you guide, as you teach, as you help. Friendship conveys love in every stage of a relationship.

It enjoys.

It respects.

It is youthful and playful.

It is direct and loyal.

Friendship challenges you to look beyond socialization and enjoy someone you love.

Prepare yourself to live in friendship.

From: Kiss Your Life... 365 Reasons to Love Who You Are

Reason: 273  Page: 291

By: Ann Mody Lewis Ph.D.

Commentary:

Being a friend is different than being friendly... try it and you'll know.

Friendship is seated deep in our gut. Its footsteps are visible in our history. 

Friendship is the shining star that reminds us of life's deepest meaning...even if we lose contact. Time cannot separate friends, because what binds them is a love that exceeds time. 

Friendships are moments when life seems most right.

James Taylor and Carol King sing in You've Got A Friend:

If the sky above you
Should turn dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind should begin to blow
Keep your head together
And call my name out loud now
Soon you'll hear me knocking at your door

Responding to the call of friendship is not an accidental event. It is the conscious choice we make to help someone because we're generous, be inconvenienced because we're committed, be forgiving because we're kind.

Friendship is building history with a person we respect because we need them. Trying to live without friendship is emotional anorexia. Without friends, we wither away in anxiety because we doubt our value. The call of friendship is the call to love. Those who heed the message will reap the rewards that we'll discuss during the month of March.

Discussions will include: Why is friendship considered the highest of love? How does friendship enhance parenthood, marriage, and human existence?  How do you protect yourself from the fear of being taken advantage of by your friends? Why is sacrifice the essential ingredient of friendship? This topic touches all of us very deeply.

Let's talk!
Ann