This weekend I am filled with incredible gratitude for the friends that surround me today. Over the years I have experienced the pain of growing apart from childhood friends. I have cried at the rejection of people I’d hoped to become friends with. And I’ve felt the heartache when it’s me that had to end an unhealthy relationship. Friends are precious and are made up of people we meet along the road of life and gather into our worlds. We choose them to become a part of our lives. 

 

Over the past months, I’ve gone through (and am still immersed) enormous changes in my life. I’ve made decisions and choices others have discouraged me from making, or disapprove of from a distance, or more commonly, they simply don’t understand or relate to what I’m experiencing. 

But I’ve realized that those people aren’t the ones I seek for support. My friends are. They simply care that I’m happy. That I’m living a life that’s true to my values and beliefs. They want the best for me and react toward me without judgment or discrimination. They jump in to help. They rally around and ask questions as to why. They are genuinely curious as to what brought me to my decisions. They delve into my world to find out more about me–with the purpose to help me reach my goals.

Instead of saying, “How are you going to do that?” in a voice laden with disparagement or disbelief,  I hear,  ”Let’s figure out how to help make that happen for you” and “How can I help you?” and “What do you need from me?”

It’s an amazing feelings to realize you are not alone. In fact, you have tons of support and people cheering for you and running along beside you. I cannot express my gratitude enough. An image of my friends trooping ahead of me through the rain-soaked willows of Mt. Bierstadt this summer, shoes slurping up the mud from the trail, grinning and laughing after a 12-hour hike comes to mind. That day I was overwhelmed with gratitude. 


 

 

I am grateful for and admire my friends that are honest with themselves, and have no hesitations to speak their personal truths. From them, I have learned to speak my truth louder and know acceptance.

I am grateful for and admire my friends who are compassionate. Both with each other and especially with themselves. Through them, I have recognized the value of being kind and patient with myself.

I am grateful for and admire my friends who listen. From them, I have learned to appreciate silence and know I do not need to raise my voice above anyone else to be heard. We all have a space to speak and be heard.

I am grateful for and admire my friends who ask questions and challenge. From them I have witnessed lively discussions without judgment, curiosity without agenda.

I am grateful for and admire my friends who laugh. Great big, silly, belly laughs. One cannot get enough of that.

I am grateful for and admire my friends.