The Gift of Friends

I've been thinking a lot lately about all my wonderful friends, wherever they may be in this small world. My friends are part of the Little Things in my life. They really are a gift.

But what is a friend? Somebody you talk to every once in a while in a class or at church? The person you wave to when they walk their dog every day? The mail man? Does the friend have to be your age? Do you have to do everything together?
Maybe, but I don't think these things automatically make a person your friend, let alone a friend forever and always.

This here is one of my best of all best friends. We've known each other since we were five years old. But that's not why we are friends. Friends are those who don't care what you look like, sound like, or whatever. They are the ones who care about the person inside of you, not out. 

To me a friend is someone you can talk to about anything at anytime. You can laugh together and you can cry together. You grow together, mentally, spiritually, and even physically sometimes. You can walk right in their house and feel just as safe as you do in your own home. 

I guess I'm special enough to have friends near and far. Friends I can call up and say, "Hey, guess what!" Friends that are in my own home, my family. And friends that live up the street or hours away. Some of my friends parents and siblings are my friends. My leaders, and people I work with. 

Part of my Mission is to be a friend to everyone I meet. I want people to feel like they can talk to me about anything and everything. I want people to know they are welcome at any time, day or night, to call me, or come see me. I believe so much could change in our world if we just opened up and let ourselves be friends to everyone around us. Just being a friend to someone can really change lives. Believe me, I've seen it happen. 

When you are a friend to anyone! Your neighbor, your brother or sister, your cousin, or the new kid up the street. You will make a difference in their life, your life, and the lives of all those around you. I can't begin to accurately describe how much I love my friends, ALL of them! Young and old, family and neighbor. 

Oh! And groups of friends are even better! All sorts of crazy things can happen. But most of all you're friends, you are there for each other, whenever, and no matter what! Not to mention you end up making crazy names for yourselves. (*cough* Four Musketeers and Evil Twin Cousins never existed. ;))

All in all I love my friends. I want to make a difference in the world. I can do that by changing others, and helping them become who they were meant to be. The best way to do that is by being a friend, a true friend, a real friend.