I’ve been thinking a lot about friendship lately. Many of the digital devices are supposed to connect many of us, myself included, but I still feel a little lonely. Yes, it’s true that email, texting, and social media can be fun and useful, and that they can create wonderful relationships. But while they may provide the illusion, online relationships simply cannot replace real, live, in-person connection. There’s just something special and irreplaceable about being physically present with another human being.
Building a meaningful friendship takes effort, trust, hope, prayer, and vulnerability. The most successful friendships are built on mutual respect, shared interests, and open communication. To strengthen these bonds, it’s important to invest time in nurturing relationships, especially during difficult times.
Friendship gives us a sense of purpose and contributes to our overall sense of joy. Laughing with friends, celebrating successes, and sharing personal milestones can lead to lasting happiness. Rarer still are the true forever best friends, the ones who stay by your side for decades, through jobs, moves, relationships, struggles, losses and life stages, and may even come to feel like family.
Helen Pablo
