INSTRUMENT OF LOVE

When we were young, we realized that having friends was important to us. Some of us even had imaginary friends or had pets that we were close to and were our best friends. The need for friends continued as we grew into our teens and began to find our own identities. Friends were a big part of forming our personalities and supporting who we had become. As adults, it is still important for us to have friends. Friends, outside of family bonds, can be our greatest comfort and allies.

True friends are people who like us in spite of our faults and who listen to us and tell us the truth. They support the choices we make in life and tell us when we are being irrational. They laugh and cry with us and share all the special moments. They are buddies and share the same interests. However, they also will argue with us without retribution. They are people we are not afraid of telling our secret wishes to or what is really on our minds.

You do not have to have tons of friends. One true friend is all you need at times. Sometimes, however, it is good to have a group of friends so you can be a part of the bond among you without having to work so hard at friendship. You all then can share a part of the duties of being friends. Sometimes, you are the one at the center of attention (God forbid). SMILES! At other times, you can just go along, but all of you are loyal to each other and help each other when you can.

Friends are your support system. When you can depend on friends, you feel safe and cherished. In essence, you belong. Friends offer unconditional love, acceptance and emotional support. Friends also can help you to reduce stress. Not only do they listen to us when we need to vent, but they also provide much needed diversion from what is stressing us out. Participating in shared interests and activities with friends helps us forget about problems at work or at home. For a brief time, we can lose ourselves in their company and perhaps laugh and breathe easier. Have you ever laughed so hard you cried? I have and it is one of the best feelings in the world!

I try to be the type of friend I described above and I truly hope those of you who read my blog believe this to be true. I want to be an instrument of love to everyone I meet. We might not “click” with everyone we meet, but we can show them love nevertheless. Every person can be or become an instrument of love and peace in any given moment of life by intentionally choosing to focus their mind positive in love and gratitude, in thought, word and action. We do not have to be alike to be loved or to give love. Each of us has different gifts and the key is to not grieve over the gifts we do not have, but to take those we do have and use them in honoring God.