The Gift of Friendship

How important is it to have friends? It has been said that a measure of our lives can be seen in the company we keep, so we should choose our friends with careful thought and con sideration. We know that having friends is key to our well-being, but who knew that so many special days, weeks, and months have been set aside to honor and recog nize them?

National Make a Friend Day is celebrated each year on February 11, but don’t worry if you miss the date. There is always National Best Friend Day on June 8, Interna tional Day of Friendship on July 30, National Friendship Day on August 6, and National Call a Friend Day on December 28. February is also International Friendship Month, with a monthlong celebration of friendship in unison with the world. Why are so many specific occasions devoted to honoring the gift of friendship? One survey shows that only one out of 12 friendships will survive, but in our lifetime, we can make many friends. According to another survey based on statistics, the average person has seven friends, and if a friendship lasts more than seven years, you will most likely have that friendship for life.

We tend to hang out with friends who have similar beliefs, values, or experiences, and whether you are female or male, having friends is good for your health. People with a strong social network have less tension, less stress, stronger defenses, and may live longer. Think about the times when something good or bad happens to you and how your first inclination is to tell someone about it. It is therapeutic to vent and voice how we feel and know that we will receive an appropriate reaction, whether it’s affirming, congratulatory, or sympathetic. Friends allow us to be ourselves and help us through challenging times, as well as celebrating with us when things are going well.

I met my forever friend Janet while working together in a medical library years ago. We stayed in touch after I moved away, visiting each other whenever possible and talking for hours on the phone. Our friendship spanned 35 years, and since she passed away, I have been thinking of how I could honor her and the incredibly positive impact she had on my life. In his first Christmas speech as Monarch since the passing of Queen Elizabeth, King Charles spoke of how he, like his mother, believed in the “extraordinary ability of each person to touch, with goodness and compassion, the lives of others and to shine a light in the world around them.” He must have been talking about Janet, for she was certainly a brightly shining light in this world. We were always there for each other, and never just fairweather friends. I have countless memories of our long and enduring friendship, and I treasure how she was like a sister to me, and always will be.

Do you have a friend who holds a special place in your life and in your heart? If so, give them a call and tell them you love them, whether it’s on a specially designated day or not.