The Importance of Friends

Recently I returned home after a night out with some dear girlfriends and started to reflect about just how important these friendships are.  I was still feeling sick and had a definite case of  "poor me" syndrome, but with the encouragement of hubby, went out anyway.  I ALWAYS feel so much better after a catch up with "the girls".

I feel very fortunate to say, I have at least 6 "girls" who I would call "friends for life".  You know the ones, friends that, no matter what, would always offer a helping hand, cup of coffee or glass of wine - or all three at once, depending on the situation.

These friends have all come into my life at various times and in various ways and are all important to me in different ways.  Some live a long way away, some almost next door and some I don't speak to more than 3 or 4 times a year.  BUT whenever we get together, whether for the aforementioned coffee/wine/chat or sometimes just a brief hello at school drop-of, it is like yesterday - and like we have never been apart (and not in a scary stalker kind of way!).

What always strikes me about these encounters, as we invariably end up talking about the latest challenge we are facing in our lives as mums (we are all mums of children from 6 weeks through to almost teenagers) is that at any time in our lives we are all facing something difficult.  It may be that one child is having trouble with homework or someone just can't get time to do a decent grocery shop, or someone is facing a very real and life altering sadness.  Whatever it is, this is making their life that much harder. 

Without my girlfriends, life would be a bleak place.  The importance of these friendships should never be underestimated.  We provide each other sounding boards, pats on the backs, kicks up-the-bums,advice and sometimes just a hug and a smile.

So what is the point of all this rambling.  It is to say THANK YOU to all my wonderful girlfriends.  You enrich my life, keep me focused and help me maintain my sometimes shaky grip on sanity.  You make my world (and the life of my children) a much better place to be.  Thanks!