On Friends....

At first I was having a hard time figuring out what to write about today.

So I went back to the old saying...write about what inspires you...

and I came up with...

FRIENDS!!

How important are friends??

At times I have thought that I really didn't need any friends at all. In fact I figured that I could do it all on my own. At other times, I thought that maybe just one really close friend would work. In fact, I have made it thought the past fourteen years with JUST ONE really great friend!! We have been through some extraordinarily great times together; both just her and I, and her, I and all our kids !! And then, we've also been way down in the dumps together; so, so low that we didn't know if we'd ever be able to dig or even claw our way back out. But we did, and we both made it out alive, and probably all the better for it. There have been times when we have hurt each other's feeling really badly, probably to the point where some would says it's unforgivable, but even it it takes us some time to think it through... and a few times, it has taken quite awhile ;(-- we have always (luckily) came around and found our ways back to each other :) She is my best friend of 14 years, Marsha Marie, AKA, Marsh.

Recently I have met a really great friend online, she is just the most wonderful, most giving, and caring person you could ever meet. I don't think she knows how wonderful she is, and that she just so happened to come into my life at exactly the time I needed her the most...but isn't that the way it's suppose to happen. I'll be forever thankful for her. I think that right now she is perhaps doing some soul searching herself and maybe realizing some of these same exact things about friends that I am....that they are always there when you need them, NO MATTER WHAT!!

Lately I have met a few more really great friends and realized that having no friends and trying to do it all on my own is not the answer and probably not even possible...especially not at this stage in my life.

Having one really great friend is wonderful--and now I have two REALLY GREAT friends who I wouldn't change or give up for the world. The only thing I would change, is being able to see the other one MORE...or in this case....at all, as of yet!!!! But I am very optimistic and hopeful, and know that we will someday soon, meet in person, she is absolutely, my angel friend, sent to save me when I was losing myself fast, my Halo.....

But...I'm also really enjoying all the new friends I've been meeting and I have every intention of keeping each and every one of them, learning to know all that I can about each of them, AND...I even plan to keep looking for MORE new people who look either interesting...OR...as if the might be in need of a friend.

 BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS A STORY TO TELL, AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT I HAVE THE TIME TO LISTEN TO IT :)

I have come to believe that one can never have too many friends.

I believe that all of them will probably end up becoming different levels of friendships and that will be just perfect :)

So, again, like I said in the beginning...

how important are friends??? 

VERY!!!!

Sunday, a new friend picked us up and drove us to church.

Monday, I went to the ER with a friend for support.

This past weekend I had a friend and her kids over to visit.

Last weekend I had a different friend and her kids over for a visit.

The other day a friend of mine drove me to counseling and we had a wonderful talk.

I came across an old friend (from over 20 years ago) this week and talked to her for more than

   an half hour, we reminisced about old times, come to find out she lives ten minutes away.

I have become friends with a girl who rides the pay-per-ride bus with me, and it just so happens that 

   she reads almost as much as me, we have been trading books back and forth, and recommending

   good authors and books to each others.

I asked a Facebook friend to pray for my missing son Jacob the other day, and then I heard through the

   grapevine that he was OK the very same night.

I could go on and on, but I'm not going to....I think you get the idea :)

Here is what I want to do instead.....

I want to encourage you to stop here

 and give you the choice

 to do one or more of the following:

- Write an old friend via snail mail.

- Email a friend.

- Go visit a friend, don't call first.

- Call an old friend.

- Go buy a ' just because' greeting card for a friend and send it out TODAY.

-Send a friend flowers or other 'just because' gift TODAY.

- Go out and meet a new friend.

- Go visit someone you know in the hospital or nursing home.

- Go meet and visit someone you don't know in the hospital or nursing home.

-Go out and buy a stranger coffee and visit with them for a short talk.

((HUGS))

My friends,

I truly, truly hope you will

take the opportunity to do one

of the above...or perhaps think up 

one of your own.

And hey...if you do, whether you 

use one of my ideas, or make

up your own...won't you 

share it with the rest of us....

help encourage the rest of us 

to do the same???

Have a wonderful day!!