Friendships of the Heart

Valentine's Day.........so many thoughts and feelings in my mind and heart.  Many pangs in my heart from friendship love, sister love, romantic love, compassionate and forever true love.  Let's take friendship love, for instance, with those whom I have befriended over the years from childhood, high school, college and into my adult life.  Perhaps it is their fun energy, their wit, their commonality with me, their dependability, their genuine personalities, their needing me that attracts me to them or them to me.  We all befriend people in our lives, mostly without thinking, but ultimately it has its purpose.  I tend to gravitate towards those friendships that are dependable, lasting, true because I think that I am a dependable, true, lasting friend.  Most importantly, genuine.....I need the genuine friendships.  Those friendships know without saying, you understand one another through all of life's surprises, parties and heartaches. 

Often, I've found myself having friendships come and go, and I've realized that some friends are needed for only a short time.  I used to feel disapppointed by the people who seemed to come and go for various reasons, wondering if their friendships were loyal enough.  Then it dawned on me that perhaps, I am needed in their life or theirs in mine for that particular time......for a specific understanding, support or simply enjoyment.  Maybe someday it will be needed again, and I've learned to accept that.  We're all on different "planes" in our life, and I think it all depends on the needs of our heart, and God knows this; we know it.

Another type of love is that companion, forever love of a spouse, and I know of those people who are feeling the loneliness of life due to death or a divorce, and they seek that companionship for life's sake, trying not to feel the awkwardness of being one, living the new life without their significant other.  Their lives forever changed especially at social gatherings.....feeling the loneliness of it all, missing their spouses.  Taking on the home responsibilities where two used to make those type of decisions, and now it falls on one.  I'm sure they're wondering if they can get through life's events of birthdays, holidays, special events as the "one" instead of "two" becomes more real.  For much of my teen life, I spent it as one, when my friends and family usually had boyfriends, I was the one they would try to fix up with someone.  My personality was one that I didn't want to depend on another, and spending time with my girlfriends suited me just fine, until there was that special dance or special event that required a date......then the pangs in my heart swelled, and I felt alone, as if no one understood.

Friendships of the heart come in different ways, whether through our significant other, a friend, a child or our sister.  She was not only my sister, but she was my sister friend, someone who understood me.   I could confide in Chrissy, share all my thoughts, and she knew without me speaking that something was on my mind.  She could see it as many others around me couldn't, and I miss that terribly, along with many other parts of our relationship and friendship.  For those that "look" into my life:  A big THANK YOU to you!!  Look to those around you, not only by telling them but by saying it, too.  Tell them that you love them because you never know what the next moment might bring.  My friendships of the heart, "Happy Valentine's Day, and I love you!"

"Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know whatcha gonna get."

  - Forest Gump's mom