“Do you need anybody? I need somebody to love.” — Beatles
How do you measure a friend?
What would your life be like without your friends that lift you up?
Are your best friends the ones in your favorite “best friends are forever” photo?
A Force for Positive Action
It’s friendship appreciation time. DailyFeats has teamed up with O, The Oprah Magazine to bring you Random Acts of O. DailyFeats is on a powerful mission:
“Make everyday action a force for positive change.”
I like their approach:
Start with small steps, get things done, earn rewards.
That’s powerful stuff. Effective, too.
Friendship Appreciation
The latest “Random Act of O” is focused on friendship appreciation, and you can take The Friendship Quiz, by visiting the “Random Acts of O’ Facebook page“.
By taking The Friendship Quiz, you explore why your friend is important to you. Better yet, you can also send your friend a personalized message letting them know why they matter to you.
Too Little, Too Late
Sometimes, we just don’t say enough. Sometimes we say too little, too late.
Sometimes we don’t know how much somebody mattered until they are gone.
Sometimes we don’t know how much we mattered to somebody, because they never told us. And sometimes you just don’t know how good life was, until a friend is gone.
Let your friends know they matter.
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
I grew up with the belief that actions speak louder than words. As a result, I always focused on showing my friends I care, rather than saying it.
The lesson is that saying it counts for something.
In fact, it often counts a lot.
I’ve learned to use my words more, to say what I mean, and mean what I say, since actions don’t always speak the best for us. It’s a balance.
Friends Help Us Get By in This World
Anyway, when I think about friends, one of my favorite lines comes to mind. It’s from the Beatles song, “With a Little Help from my Friends“. It goes like this …
“Oh I get by with a little help from my friends.”
True that.
Where would we be without our friends?
True Friends are There for You When You Need Them Most
Growing up, my Mom always reminded me that, “A friend in need, is a friend indeed.”
I didn’t know if that meant beware of needy friends, or be sure to help a friend when they really need you, or true friends are the ones that help you when you really need it.
I think she mostly meant that real friends are the ones that bail you out of trouble, and you should be ready to do the same. Or, to put it another way, don’t desert your true friends, and beware of friends that change with the wind.
Our Arch Enemies Can Teach Us About Our True Friends
Since then, I’ve known good friends, bad friends, fake friends, best friends, real friends, true friends, and the various shades in between.
Sometimes the best way to know a true friend, is to know an archenemy, and you can always thank an archenemy for appreciating your friends a little more.
Among the many lessons of friendship, one truth stands strong … our friends make our life, our work, and our world … a better place.
Types of Friends
Here are just a few of the types of friends that help us make our way in this world …
- The friends who really get you.
- The friends who like you, flaws and all.
- The friends who help you bring out your best.
- The friends who care about you, simply because you are you.
- The friends who stand up for you, even when you don’t stand up for yourself.
- The friends who inspire you, even when you don’t feel very inspired.
- The friends who add a little sunshine, to an otherwise gloomy or doom-filled place.
- The friends who embarrass you, in ways you cherish forever.
- The friends who remind you that you were born for something more.
- The friends who drag you into the craziest things that you would never do on your own, that turn into little memorable scenes you play over in your mind, in the best of times and the worst of times..
- The friends who know you, and yet, still love you.
- The friends who make you laugh, no matter how hard your world has shattered.
- The friends who cry with you. or lend a shoulder or a helping hand, and remind you that you are not alone.
Friends really are something special, huh.
Would You Stand Up and Walk Out On Me?
Keep in mind, that there is one little question that you can always ask, while you are forging your friendships. Let’s turn our attention back now to our Beatles Song, “With a Little Help from My Friends.” The little question goes like this:
“What would you do if I sang out of tune,
Would you stand up and walk out on me.”
A friend might stick it out. A good friend might stick it out, but then let you know how bad it was in private. A true friend would stand up and sing out of tune with you
A friend indeed.
Have you appreciated your friends today?
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