The joy of friendship

The most wonderful thing about God is that he blesses us with multiple relationships that we need at varying points in our life. For example - the first relationship we have is that of a child to our parents. This is nurturing and caring relationship. It is through this relationship that we gain our understanding of love and what it means to be loved and to love others.
Then we have a sibling relationship - this relationship is one of both love, envy, competition and other emotions. Yet we ultimately feel that kinship and tie that is like none other.
You have the relationship with a spouse or a significant other. This is one of love and lifetime unity. It is a bond that is so incredible and indescribable.

However the one that is on my mind tonight as I type this (yes I am wide awake at midnight) is friendship and more specifically girlfriends. I remember growing up I had different types of "friends" There were those that were really more like acquaintances (you just called them friends because it sounded good.) I mean really, you knew their name maybe they talked to you now and again but not really a friend. Then you had those that were "surface level" friends - you know the ones you played with at recess or perhaps invited to a birthday party, etc.
Yet there is NOTHING like the bond of a true girlfriend that you can just bare your heart and sole to, you can be your true self with, you can know that no matter what, right or wrong they really only want what is best for you. It isn't a friendship out of obligation or expectation but yet it is a friendship born of selflessness and one that says "I love you just the way you are - the good, the bad and the ugly."

I am happy to say that I have had and still do have some of these true girlfriends. They are the ones that no matter what in my whole life - have stood beside me and said "I love you just the way you are." They have been the ones to come along side and hold me in the hard times and party with me in the good! Tonight - I want to say thank you for being one of my true close friends ...you are all so very special to me, I wish I had pictures of them all but regardless - the point is - I am thankful for these types of friends!