What Is Friendship Worth to You?

For the last year, I have tried very hard to delete all the political entries my Facebook friends have posted. I just could not read all that political rhetoric. Facebook is a wonderful way to keep up with my family and friends who live throughout this world. I had hoped that Tuesday would be the end to all the politics. I was sadly, very sadly, disappointed.

Friends are lashing out in anger and disgust because their candidate did not win and their friend did not vote correctly and so – of course – that made the difference in who won the 2016 Presidential Election!!! And if you think this is only a Democratic lashing – I could put names on a list of Republicans who did the same thing after the 2012 Presidential Election!!! It is impossible to bring understanding to my way of thinking!

I have a friend that I have shared a friendship with for over 50 years. To be exact, we met in second grade, 54 years ago. We currently live about 600 miles apart. We see each other every few years. But we can pick up the phone and talk like we saw each other last week. Who is your oldest friend? How long have you known each other?

Make new friends, but keep the old.

One is silver, and the other is gold.

What value do we place on friendship? I don’t mean that list of 358 people who are listed as “Friends” on Facebook. I mean people that when your loved one dies, this person is there. They listen. They have extra Kleenex. They know the way to bring you comfort and, most importantly, healing. And when the world, ie your job, the IRS, in-laws (to name a few), knock you down and leave some bruises, a friend can restore humor and perspective that keeps the balance in a world gone mad.

Friends also do not allow politics to cut a friendship, because friends learn from each other, especially when they have different views about political issues. They learn when they look through the lens of another. They discuss a problem, not to try to convince the other person to give up their convictions, but to learn how someone might think differently and come to their convictions.

So if you took the time to read this and know that you have slapped at a friend in the past year or the past week because of different political voting – shame on you! Pick up the phone – no, don’t do a post on Facebook – Pick up the phone and call your friend. “I’m sorry” are two of the most powerful words you can speak. They are right after “I love you” on the Powerful Words List.