Monday, August 12, 2013

Never Repress...

...a generous urge.

It's a saying I grew up listening to, but I want to put a slant on in today. Who is your best friend in the whole world? Why?

I listened to a speaker talking about true friendships yesterday, and what it means to be a true friend. He talked about how real friends are the ones who encourage us. They're the ones who uplift us. They're the ones that cheer us on to be better.

Image courtesy of let168_6243
I've been blessed with an abundance of truly amazing friends--starting with my mind-blowingly awesome husband who believes in my dreams. I had a best friend in elementary who introduced me to classic movies, slumber parties, and listened to my stories--before "chicken" was an acceptable/cool thing. I had a pal in Jr. High who looked for the positive in any situation and never complained, even when we were double cast for the same lead role in a musical and she only got one performance while I had two. One friend in high school made me want to be better, because she needed a rock in her ever-changing world, and in college, another friend kept my creativity alive.

When I look back on each of them, I see the special role each of them filled, one that desperately needed filling.

So the question is, who is in your life right now that needs the unique love and encouragement you can offer? (Ahem, that's rhetorical.)

So, who is your best friend?

47 comments:

  1. I feel like I've been extremely lucky in friendships. There are many people who could use love and encouragement right now. How to narrow it down?

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  2. My best friend is my husband as well, but I've been amazed at how many writers are quickly becoming BFF's. Love the writing community!

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    1. You said it! I feel like I receive a virtual hug every time I hop online to chat with them.

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  3. I don't have lots of friends, but I value the ones I have. And I'm lucky to have an awesome husband. Love all my friends I've met through blogs too.

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    1. It's amazing, you can be a shut-in and be social, eh? ;) (I'm talking about myself here.)

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  4. I'd say my husband is my best friend. I have a lot of friends though, in the writing community and music community.

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  5. Wow this is kind of hard. I'm not a social person at all.

    By way of support for me would be my son Jake. He's always there helping me get the kinds of tools I need to get through life. Battery power for Mom. No cords to destroy, no gasoline to buy. AC on the blink Jake is there to help out.

    As far as someone I support that would be my daughter Jess. I'm her go to person when she needs a shoulder.

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    1. Aw! That's so sweet! My oldest is my go to for brainstorming and quick beta reading. He doesn't mince words, but he's 100% supportive. (Even when reading my girly prose.) Family rocks, doesn't it?

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  6. That's so true. Anyone in your life who isn't lifting you up needs to go. A lesson we sometimes forget.

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  7. I've met many people who have had an important role in my life and have made me a better person, writer, and teacher.

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    1. When you stop to think about it, it's amazing, isn't it?

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  8. My hubby is my bestie. He still makes me laugh!

    Lovely post!

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  9. That's awesome, all those supportive people in your life! I enjoyed reading your list/experiences. I appreciate my hubby, who is supportive of my writing (my first hubby wasn't), and all the writers in the blogosphere, particularly my main CP Lynda Young. :)

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    1. Yay! There's nothing better than a kick-trash critique partner. (Unless it's the supportive hubby.)

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  10. I miss your BFF from jr high. :/ isn't it wonderful how different people can lift us and carry us onward at different times of our lives? Friendships can really be invaluable, can't they?

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    1. You and me both. I definitely believe people come into our lives at certain times for specific reasons.

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  11. Currently when it comes to friends, I'm sort of going through a rough patch. All the friends I had until recently moved on, forming families and so on while I'm living a completely different life.

    So basically, I'm busy working on making new friends.

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    1. Aw. Misha, I'm wishing you the best in finding new friends, and hey, you've go us, right? (Blogosphere crazies.) ;)

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  12. My best friend is awesome. She knows everything about me, never judges me and is always there if I need her. I love her to bits.

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  13. Hi, Crystal.
    When my wife and I were on one of our first dates together, a song came over the radio: You're My Best Friend by Queen. After 23 years of marriage and 25 all together it continues to be true. We share everything.
    On another level, my newest best friend would be the entire writing community of friends I have met during these five years that I have been on this amazing journey. They share my success, encourage me forward and offer a virtual shoulder to lean against in moments of weakness.

    -Jimmy

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    1. Amen to that! I'm 13 years into marriage, and have been besties with my hubby for 16 yrs. I totally hear you about the writing community. Lately I've begun to think my there's no better place to hang. I love you guys!

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  14. I love that the different people in our lives support different parts of ourselves. Glad that I have my blog buddies to listen to my writing woes!

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  15. I think of my friends all the time. So many come at different times, and others stay with us through all the chapters in our lives. My hubby is my bestest friend. My high school best girlfriend is still my best friend 20 years later. And the writing friends I've made since I started writing, are special to this part of my life in a way no one else can be.

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    1. I love that you're still close friends with your best girlfriend from high school. So cool.

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  16. Aww, what a lovely post! I feel like going off to hug my best friend - and my family!

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  17. Hands down...my husband. He just spent several hours fixing my computer, but he is (and always has been) supportive of my dreams and aspirations. We met at 16. Second is a writer friend who is constant encouragement and an amazing resource; she also urged me to start a blog. BTW thanks for stopping by my blog!

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  18. I have some very close writer friends, and we hang out a few times a year in our own writers' retreats. It is very bonding to room with someone and hear them snore! :) No, really, these ladies are very special. I've actually known one of them since I was seventeen. Yipes.

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  19. Husband is my best friend. I like that email/fb thing about 'A friend will help you hide. A best friend will help you hide the bodies.'

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  20. Good question! Love this post on friendship! I think my husband is my best friend.

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  21. My hubby is my best friend and my solid support in everything I do.

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  22. What a great, thoughtful, and generous post!

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  23. Next month, I'll have known my dearest, oldest friend for 28 years. Everyone is always really surprised when we tell them we've been friends since kindergarten. We believe we were sisters in a former life, and I absolutely feel we're soulmates. Some soulmates are lifelong friends, not only romantic partners.

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    1. Awesome. I agree. I have some friends who are like that.

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  24. My best friend and I are seeing in 21 years of friendship this year :).

    And I leave you with this:
    Sweet dreams are made of cheese,
    who am I to dis a brei?

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Hit me with your cheese!