We've spent the last couple weeks of holiday preparations seeing quite a few of our friends. Birthday parties, Christmas parties and programs, co-op celebrations...I got to thinking about how blessed we are to have the many friends we do - both our children, and ourselves.
Friends are a gift - and although it would be fun to see them pop out of a box, I wouldn't suggest wrapping them up. :)
If you're like most people, the folks who make up your giant bundle of friends are all quite different. It's worth pointing that out, because it shows we ourselves are different. There are bits of ourselves tucked away that we don't show to everyone. Certain friends bring out certain things.
And then there are our besties, who bring out (and get to see) everything. Lucky them!
It's important that our kids know we have friends and see us with our friends. We are helping to shape their entire concept of friendships. It's important that our kids know we have other people we hang out with and laugh with. It's good that our children see we have other people we can go to when we are sad or happy or hurting or confused or just want to talk or just want to sit in silence.
It's also important that our kids see the reality of friendship. Sometimes friends disagree, but they are still friends. Sometimes friends fight, but they make up. Some friends are forever friends...and some friends are right now friends.
We need all sorts of people in our lives. They help to celebrate the different parts of who we are. Our interests. Our concerns. Our needs. Our beliefs. Yep, we need all sorts of friends.
Friends are a gift...and even if you shouldn't wrap them up, I hope you still celebrate their place in your life. :)
* Check out the previous posts in my December
Gifts That Can't Be Wrapped Series:**
We sure celebrate you in our life. After we meet you we left feeling like instead of someone new you already felt like an old friend. Plus, anyone who lets a teenager paint each of their fingernails a different design is a good friend in my book.
ReplyDeleteLetting a teenager paint my nails? How about that teenager and her mother holding my not-at-all-happy goats while I struggled with clipping their hooves? You guys rock. Plain and simple. :)
DeleteGosh, I hope we don't fall in the category of right now friends! I know a bunch of people who would be really sad to hear that. :(
ReplyDelete