Sincere Friendships: A Timeless Treasure

CAROLE JONES

National Panhellenic Conference Chairman

Dear Pi Phi,

It’s true what they taught us as little girls: friendships are like silver and gold.

I am blessed with abundant friendships, many of which I attribute to my involvement in the National Panhellenic Conference and my fraternity, Alpha Omicron Pi. My professional career in journalism afforded me some dear friends, and as most parents do, I picked up some great friendships raising my daughter. Additionally, I've held on to some incredible friendships from childhood. Of all of these, it's the sincere friendships that are most important to me.

Sincere friendships are different from the others — they are varsity-level friendships. Without my sincere friends, I’m not sure I could survive. These friends believe in me so that I can believe in myself. They care deeply, love hard and push harder. They are my energy boosts for life. My sincere friends have helped to foster my talents and personality and made me who I am.

In a time when friendships seem to be dictated by an online click that can as easily end with “unfriending,” sincere friendships are more important than ever. Even with increased opportunity to connect to others, some are lonely. The world needs places and spaces to develop and nurture sincere friendships — that’s why I promote the sorority experience.

Sincere friendship is the cornerstone of sorority membership. It’s not a coincidence that for each of the 26 National Panhellenic Conference organizations — some founded more than 150 years ago — it was friendship that compelled the creation of the organization. Still today, sincere friendship remains our collective greatest attraction. The critical need for close, personal friendship cannot be negated.

I don’t have to tell you the role Pi Beta Phi plays in the development of sincere friendships. I’ve seen Pi Phis in action, and I know you’re empowered by the strength of unwavering support only a sincere friend can give. However, in providing the forward for this issue of The Arrow, I do want to encourage you to take full advantage of those friendships. May what follows on the next few pages inspire you to invest a little more, hug a little tighter or maybe pick up the phone for an overdue hello. As fraternity women, you and I have been given a gift — indeed as precious as silver and gold.

With Sincere Friendship,

Carole Jones