Friendship

I've been thinking about friendship off and on for awhile, and tonight when I went to bed, I came to a realization. Well, not a news flash realization, just an "oh yes, a good reminder" realization.

According to my spiritual beliefs, there is nothing that a person can do, that if they are remorseful, make restitution where they can, and work to make sure whatever it was doesn't happen again, that won't be forgiven and forgotten if asked. Many other religions or belief systems hold similar themes of the importance of forgiveness.

As simple as it sounds, that quality is one that is shared by all my closest friends. If feelings were hurt, or a wrong-doing was done, I am thankful to know that the people I love, if they came to me, and apologized, and I knew they were hurting, that I could forgive them that, knowing who they are inside, and that they are fallible just like me, but GOOD. And I am thankful to know that if roles were reversed, they would do the same for me. True friends are there for good times AND hard times, through the easy stuff and the challenging, and sometimes even through the fire. During a crisis of friendship or life, the true heart friends will not stand there and shake their head at you with arms crossed, or walk away forever and call you unworthy to be their friend. They may tell it to you "like it is", but then they will burn their hand reaching out to you in that fire, and say "I am here, I love you, and I believe in you."

I am so fortunate to have that kind of friendship, and not just with one person, but with several. Where I can say "I love you" and it's not weird, but true. Where I know they will always have my back, no matter what, and I will have theirs no matter what. You know who you are, and I am blessed to be a part of your lives; some of you just in the last few years, some for most of my adult life, and some since my childhood! Thank you for your unconditional faith and friendships...to be a part of such a unit, I believe it shores each of us up and makes us each stronger than we ever could have been alone. You are special people, and I celebrate each of you. :)