Old Friends Are Best, How Old Are You?

The Author and Best Friend Bonnie / photo by Mike Anderson

                                                   

    Friendships are nourishment for the soul. They are a treasure for a lifetime or be as brief as passing rain. They teach us how to be human, help us with advice, and offer consolation when we need it. A friend is someone who can give us an objective opinion a sibling, parent or counsel can't provide. A friend is someone who likes you in spite of your faults.

     We are social creatures who learn from an early age how vital it is to reach out and make a connection with a fellow human. Female friends openly provide a sounding board on life, love and relationships and partners. While men tend to keep their feelings locked up to an unhealthy degree. I recently ran into an old friend whose wife died and reminded him to have a male friend he could talk to in his grief. More men would be happier if they just had a buddy they can confide in without feeling vulnerable.

 Reaching out to others is ridiculously easy with cell phones and social media and yet-- our insecurities or excuses often stop us from doing so. A recent study confirms how important it can be.

    "The results showed that those who initiated the communication significantly underestimated the extent to which recipients would appreciate the act of reaching out.

. . . Initiating social contact after a prolonged period of disconnect . . . can feel intimidating because people worry about how such a gesture might be received. But the present study suggests that such hesitations may be unnecessary, as other people are in fact much more likely to appreciate being reached out to than people assume."
    In the days before e mail and texting, people wrote letters --now a lost art. Don't be shy about sending a birthday card, photo or a brief message that you're thinking of them. There is no doubt everyone appreciates them. A hand written letter is a cherished physical connection between the writer, the recipient and history.

    Too many people go through life without such a blessing. The elderly, disabled or the shy are often starved for attention or just someone to talk to.

    Be a treasure, be a friend.