What Are Friends For? - Grit & Grace
I imagine this question has boggled minds for centuries. It’s certainly one that has boggled my mind for decades. Lord knows friendship has caused me its fair share of heartache and tears. What purpose does friendship serve? What are friends for?
“That’s what friends are for.”
As a child of the 80’s, I heard a distant tune the instant I typed that question.
Keep smiling, keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for.
For good times and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for.
“Keep smiling, keep shining.”
“Knowing you can always count on me, for sure. For good times and bad times, I’ll be on your side forever more. That’s what friends are for.”
That’s what Dionne Warwick and friends say, but what does Merriam-Webster have to say about this?
A friend is one that is attached to another through affection or esteem.
A mutual bond of affection shared by people that know each other. People that are going to be there for each other through thick and thin. Friends are people you can count on through life’s joys and sorrows.
“For good times and bad times.”
What does that bond of affection look like in the day to day ins and outs of friendship? Is there a way it should look? Why is it such a challenge?
These questions will certainly take more than just one blog post to answer them. Honestly, as someone who has struggled in the area of friendship and relationships for most of my life, I hardly feel qualified to enter into this conversation with any degree of expertise.
And then that still small voice rushes in to remind me that perfection is not what is required of me. That is not my burden to carry. It is not my job to have all the friendship things figured out and executed flawlessly.
Maybe, just maybe, the wrestling with and through is what will help those blooms of true friendship grow best.
“The words are coming from my heart.”
As I work through each letter in friend, I will turn to the acrostic style of writing yet again. I’ll be focusing on one letter each week, emphasizing a different aspect of friendship with each one. These aren’t meant to be an exclusive list, but just some words that came up as I meditated on what a friend should be, and what kind of friend I hope to be.
F aithful
R eleasing
I mperfect
E mpathetic
N ear
D evoted
What words would make your list?
Becky is a Miami native, and has lived here all of her life. Married to her husband for over 20 years, they lead a very active lifestyle along with their three teenagers and Riley, their rescue dog. Becky loves to teach, and has had the awesome privilege of home educating her children for over twelve years. When not teaching academics, Becky loves to equip, encourage, and empower women through the teaching of her group fitness classes. Becky and her husband lead various ministries, and their family loves to serve the community through the countless opportunities provided over the past twenty years+ in their local church. She enjoys filling her "free" time with reading, writing, watching movies, and just spending time with the family. Becky has a passion for living her life with grit and grace, and encouraging others to do the same.
