The Power of Friendship

“I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light.”
― Helen Keller

 

Long before I was a wife or a mother, I was a friend. I was taught that friends are as valuable as anything else in life and that friendships must be cared for and looked after in a very delicate way.

I cherish my friends and have used this space before to write about some of my strong bonds. My husband and I were friends before we started dating which is one of the reasons I think we work so well.

I have been struggling these past few months. I have been doubting myself more and more and feeling not so great about myself. The fact that we have all been sick for months has not helped. The fact that it's cold and blustery outside has also not helped. But it's more than that.

You see, I lost sight of who I am. I got caught up in my own head. Sometimes that is not the best place for me.

I spend my days at work or with my daughter. We spend our nights with dinner, laundry, cleaning, puzzle making, color book playing and bath time. I am always in a rush and often do not have time for myself till long after dark. Then I turned on Netflix or Amazon Prime and got lost in the characters of Frank Underwood or Jax Teller or Patty Hewes or Oliver Queen or the Crawley family.

That all changed this past week

This past week, I saw some of my friends.

I opened my heart and let my friends in and let them do what they do best - remind me of who I am. One friend was a play date in which our girls finally started to play with each other and not just near each other so we had time to really talk. One friend was up for the night and got to spend time, quality time, with my family and see how we work. We talked till everyone in the house was fast asleep. One friend was lunch at the mall which turned into the entire afternoon of laughing and sharing and chasing our daughters all around the carousel.

The power of friendship is so very strong. My head is clearer than it has been in ages. I am more at peace with myself than I have been in a long time. I am more focused on who I am and who I want to be. THAT will make me a better wife. THAT will make me a better mom.

I will not let it get this bad again. I know now that I need to call in help when I need it. I suspect the joy and happiness I got from my friends was not one-sided. I think they also felt better, too, having spent some time with me. If not, I will make sure they do after we meet up again. I am a people person and that means I need my people!

When you are my friend, you are in it for the long haul. I am proud of that fact and I will not soon forget it again. I adore my friends on the screen - but I like my real friends a whole lot more!