ARCHIVE LIBRARY

“F” is for Friends

By Pauline Reneaux

The weather has been all over the charts lately, almost 80 degrees one day, ice, sleet, and the possibility of snow the next. I could not help but think about how life can change for us so abruptly as well, kind of like this Louisiana weather. Even good change can add stress to our lives. So the question I have for you this month – who do you have in your corner as you walk through the different seasons in your life? For some this may be family, but for those of us who come from small families, it is the friends we have made on this journey through life that have become so dear. The past several months I have really gotten to examine this within my own life so I thought, why not toss this idea out to you as well. Now that the month dedicated to love has passed, how do we keep showing love to those around us once the chocolate and hearts are gone? Are we taking the time to be there for those people as well?

Just like the seasons, our friendships can change. Hopefully, not as fast as the changes in the weather in Louisiana, but I think you understand the point I am trying to make. Things can happen, life can get in the way. So the question we must ask ourselves is how can we preserve our friendships when life gets hectic? I have learned over the years that our circle of friends does grow smaller the older we become. This can happen for a number of reasons that can range from the commitments we have to our families and jobs, to interests that change over time. What I have also found is that the quality of friends is so much more important the older I become rather than the quantity of friends. This life we have been given goes by so quickly, a fact that my friends and I never take for granted.

With spring just around the corner, I think this is the perfect time to look at our friendships and examine ideas, and explore opportunities to invest in them, fertilize them, if you will, and help them grow. A card or note to thank someone who is always there for you; lunch or dinner to spend time catching up; pitching in to help when they are overwhelmed by life events – all of these things go such a long way.

Yes, I realize I talk about these types of things in a lot of my pieces, but as a writer I have learned to look around me and observe what people often miss, and yet seem to so desperately need. I guess I also look at my own life, that can be quite hectic at times, and I look at what those closest to me do to help lighten my load. I know what a treasure my friends are and I toss out these suggestions to you so that maybe, just maybe you can find some inspiration to help fertilize your friendships so that they might bloom for years to come.

Until next month…

Blessings, Pauline

 

To learn more about Pauline Reneaux, visit her blog at Pauline-Reneaux.com. She welcomes email at paulinereneauxwrite@gmail.com

 

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