The Friendship Flower

Friendship. 


A word that means many different things to different people.  For some it’s being inseparable. For others, while distance may separate, it is never an issue and reuniting makes months apart seem like only days. Others lean on you when they need something, or come to you when they can squeeze you in. One thing I know about friendship is that it doesn’t magically last 20 years; you have to invest in it. In a world where everything seems to only be getting faster and days shorter, we all have to take time to stop…pick up the phone, write an email, arrange a coffee date and appreciate our friends. With women living longer than men, chances are friends will be all that we have left one day.

I’m a sucker for the idea of soul mates and because I’m yet to find mine, I’ve taken to the idea of best friends rather contently. I hope that everyone out there has the chance to experience the close bond of a true friend. Someone you instantly think about when something exciting/embarrassing happens and you have that extreme urge to jump on the phone and share the occasion with them straight away. A friend you miss, even though you only saw them yesterday. Someone who knows you better than you know yourself sometimes and yet still loves you and all your flaws. It takes a best friend to know you need a hug at the exact right moment or to take your shoes off when you’ve passed out drunk on your bed. True friends make time. No excuses.

Friendship, just like flowers, needs work. They need love and attention to grow and flourish. When we let life get in the way and become overwhelmed with our busy schedules, we, and often without intention, neglect those around us. It is a balancing act, and one I’m still trying to figure out myself. I do know however, that we need to be conscious to not let the flowers wilt and dry up. We need to work harder to nourish and look after those flowers. After all, where is the beauty in life, if all there is is dead flower beds?

Letting go of friendships, especially ones that have been around since you can remember, is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. Coming to terms with the fact that sometimes people change, life takes us down different paths and things don’t always turn out the way you had planned – even when at one point in time you thought things would remain this way forever. It doesn’t always point to failure or mean that a wrongdoing occurred; sometimes it just is what it is. Accepting that is the hardest part.

One of life’s greatest gifts is a friend. They come and they go. We create new friendships and let go of old ones. I believe people come into our lives for a reason, a purpose, to teach us something. Appreciate that. Appreciate those around you. Love your friends and show them through actions. Stop letting life get in the way, because when it really comes down to it, life is really about the ones we love.

I want you to do something for me. Get in touch with someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. Let them know you’re thinking of them. It might just make their day and be the seed to keep that friendship flower blooming.


Love & Laughs,

Bex


Dedicated to my best friend, LFB, for always making time.