Friendship

I was looking for a good picture about friendship, and I saw this shot I took of chocolate chip blondies. Does that go with friendship? Well maybe not, but it gave me the thought of friends being sweet and as exciting as a great dessert. ;)

Friendship is one of the best things in the world, and true friends are a rare find. When you have one, you should never take it for granted. Having someone in your life who you can talk to about anything is invaluable. A good friend wants what is best for the other. They will the highest good possible for their friend.

For myself, I've been blessed with many amazing friends. Friends who have been there for me in times of trial, friends who have shared similar interests together, friends who have supported me in whatever ideas I tried to put into action, friends who have spent the greatest times together making memories, friends who have most of all remembered me in prayer and have been united with me in the Faith.

Having a friend is the most precious gift. To have good friends, you also have to be a good friend, meaning you have to make sacrifices sometimes. This may mean calling your friends out once in a while if they are wrong about something significant, and helping them to continue on the right path. Or it might simply mean being there no matter what for your friend when they need you.

Sometimes we might feel really alone, when our friends don't always come through. That is the best moment to remember our friends in Heaven--the saints. They are our true friends too, and desire above all else that we enter Heaven to be with them. We should concentrate always on becoming close to the company of saints. I heard once that the reason we are particularly devoted to certain saints is because they actually are very close to us and pray for us often.

Lots of times when we move away or develop other interests, we lose touch with certain groups of friends. Sometimes this just means we are growing and going in a new direction with our life. But more often than not, we are just making excuses for not taking the time to stay in touch. We shouldn't pass up good friends lightly and make the extra effort or go the extra mile to preserve our friendships.

Here's a great quote that sums up a true friend by William Shakespeare: "A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow."