Have you read Kate Baer’s latest poetry? bridesmaid’s speech? It’s a beautiful ode to friendship. Is there anything more powerful than siblings who become friends? Dear reader, I don’t think so. Here are 10 reader thoughts on this topic…
At a different stop:
“I attended the PowerPoint party and it was really fun. People have published about everything from bad ’80s movies to Phil Colin’s obsession with the Alamo (it’s real! He wrote the book!). We laughed and learned a lot. “It was an amazing way to spend a winter weekend in the Midwest.” — Bryce
“Six of my closest friends and I sat down for a formal studio portrait. Coordinated outfits and everything! The (very patient) photographer made us look strange and even held up a printed photo of a friend who couldn’t be photographed. I love capturing images of deep friendship and displaying them proudly.” —MRM
“During the quarantine, four of us (living in Salt Lake, Zurich and London) began isolating. marco polo Have a conversation where we randomly look at different parts of our home: bathroom cabinets, refrigerator, bedside table, etc. I loved seeing this part of my friends’ lives. The details that are important to them are also important to me.” — Tanner
About an unexpected friendship:
“When my sister and I were little, all the kids in the neighborhood were afraid of the old couple across the street. Rowland seemed in a bad mood and Nancy had health problems. I don’t remember how it happened, but my sister and I became friends and visited several times a week. Rowland was the kindest and Nancy seemed like she would be a great mother. They gave us Dum-Dum, let us play in the backyard, and gave us $5 each for Christmas. They’re both gone now, and I’ve never seen or thought about Dum-Dum. I hope to one day become a wonderful old man to the young people in my neighborhood.” — Marge
“My adult son, Wallace, is no stranger to everyone in our mid-sized town. That child with developmental disabilities is the most cheerful and friendly ‘12-year-old’ in a 25-year-old’s body! We could be at the mall, at a hardware store, somewhere across town, and somewhere someone will be waving, yelling, or smiling at him. Wallace will smile loudly and respond with an excited ‘Hey!’ When asked who it was, the answer is always the same. ‘my friend’. “I know he doesn’t know their names, but I’ve concluded that he’s the kind of person who makes everyone’s day brighter.” – article
Family Bonds:
“My best friends are now having children, and I am happily taking on the role of aunt. This summer, that meant attending my friends’ kids’ sporting events. It was fun to have stand-up dates once a week for six weeks, and when the kids were on site, we got to play like adults! And are your 6-year-olds playing T-ball? Lovely.” — Amy
About taking care of one another:
“I am an incredibly messy person (I am neurotic and have executive function difficulties). But they are also extroverted and stay-at-home parents. So while I often starve for adult interaction, I feel embarrassed about the state of my home. Recently, I responded to a text message from a neighbor saying, ‘No, I didn’t.’ [thing we were discussing] ‘Cause I’m in a hole of depression.’ Folks, my hair was so dirty it felt like it was going to burn, I was wearing a big old t-shirt with no bra, and my partner was away on a business trip, so I was doing child care and portrait painting by myself. We were basically wild. 20 minutes after I sent the text, my neighbor showed up with cupcakes. This is *not* a situation where my past self would have opened the door. But I took a breath and did so, and this new friend hugged me and told me he was there too and asked permission to clean the kitchen while I showered. I cried tears of gratitude in the shower, and when I came out, the kitchen was clean and the kids had snacks. If you’re afraid of people passing up your polished look, challenge that fear a little. There are other really lovely things.” — Kara
When you say ‘I love you’:
“One time I had the best time hanging out with a new friend. I felt the urge to say ‘I love you!’ When we broke up, but I wasn’t sure if it would make her weird. Then she said to me: ‘i love you. See you again soon!’ I had the biggest smile on my face all day. So I learned my lesson. There are many unkind and fickle things in the world. If a simple ‘I love you’ from a new friend improved my day so much, I can only imagine how much sweeter it would have been if we all said those words more. .’ —Claire
About people who went from friendship to soulmate:
“My best friend and I have been friends since we shared a dormitory 15 years ago. We live in different states now. It would be nice to be able to drop off cookies, run dumb errands, or just watch an old Disney Channel movie, but when we talk on the phone or get together, we pick up where we left off. She understands me better than my husband or my mother. “We joke that we are each other’s soulmates, but we really mean it.” — Rebecca
“She was nine and I was nine and a half. My family had recently moved to town, and I was missing my old friends. So my mom took me to the field to fly a kite. Soon another mother and daughter came, and before long the girl and I were running, and our mothers were leaving with their kites. I am now 80 years old and she is 79 and a half. We shared life’s ups and downs, the good and the bad. I have no idea where or who I am without her. She feels the same way. “It’s truly amazing.” —Barbara
What friendship story would you like to add? We want to hear.
PS How to build friendships with people with disabilities and how to easily prepare dinner when friends come over.
(The photo came from someone, somewhere.)
