It's the last Thursday of the month so I am joining my blogger friend Holly for some thoughts on friendship. It seems like such an easy word, one that we know beginning in childhood. A word that can be so beautiful, bring us much Joy and at times conflict and hurt. The older I get, the more grateful I am for all of it. The Good, the fun, the deep and then also for the friendships that have drifted away.
Most of us can remember our first friends and some of you are still either in touch with them or maybe still even amazing friends to this day. Those were such innocent friendships often involving moments of Joy, play and fun. The conflicts at this age were usually over something silly but still hurt our feelings. Hopefully those moments passed quickly and we were able to pick back up where we left off. I think the real friendships today should be the same in many ways.
I know a lot of people and am blessed to have a lot of people in my life. Hockey Guy always says to me that I "know everyone" and sometimes says that I always run into people and we get into a conversation. It's true and just who I am.
While I know a lot of people, over the last few years I have kept my circle of friends, way tighter. Last year I posted about my ladies the Magnificent Seven and for work stuff, they are my go tos. They will never gossip about me, we help each other with questions and we always have everyone's Best interest at heart.
I am so grateful for a wide group of friends who love me for who I am. They don't like me for what I can do for them, they just like me for me. It has taken me decades, but I am starting to see who is a true friend and that it is ok to just let some go.
I am also grateful for those that I had to let run its course. At times these relationships were fun, but often they run its course and sometimes you just have to realize that certain people are not the Best match for you. That doesn't mean that if I have not talked to someone in a while that they are not relationships that have fallen away. If they have fallen away, there is gratitude and lessons in these relationships too.
Mostly I am grateful for the kind of people I am going to list here. Luckily, there are several people who can fit into these categories for the most part.
-I am grateful for my long term friendships where we can go to brunch or coffee and nothing ever changes. I have several ladies like this.
-I am grateful for our school family friends, male and female, who are among the kindest, warmest, most faithful and fun people I have ever had the privilege of meeting. These are people who pray for you and mean it...and they can make you laugh hard.
-My Magnificent Seven ladies who I can ask the stupidest question to without judgment or just enjoy a walk to a cab with on a beautiful fall day after a political briefing. I had this Joy last week with one of them, and any of the six would have brought me the same simple Joy.
-My hockey mom friends who help keep things in perspective in the often nutty world of kid's athletics.
-I am also grateful for my monthly gratitude blogging partner Holly. We connected through our blogs a few years ago and this gal is a force and she is always there with a "you've got this Mama" when she senses I need it. That coupled with her shared love of Lilly and our New England roots I am pretty sure if we lived in the same town, she would totally be one of my girls.
-Mostly I am so very grateful, every single day for Running Daddy as he is my Best bud. Funny, sweet, focused, hardworking and a person with fierce love for Hockey Guy and me.
My message to you is if you are struggling with your friendships or the people you hang with are not bringing out the Best in you, take some time and maybe change your inner circle. Make sure you are spending time with people who bring you as much Joy as you are spreading.
Did you blog about gratitude this month? If so, link up with us below.
