More Than Just Friends

Introduction

This is for Heather Hubler's "Friends among us" challenge that you can read about and enter here:

While I could have done a poem for this I feel that I want to write more about what I see friendship as and what it means to me. So I will take a few lines to include experiences and ideas and I hope that readers can take something away from this.

More Than Just Friends

Friendship is an unusual concept. There are no rules, and it happens or it doesn't.

When it does there are so many levels that it can rise to, and true friends can become true lovers too.

A friend is someone who is there for you, and you are there for them. You can talk for hours about nothing because the time you spend together is what matters.

True friendship never fails, you can not be in contact with a friend for months or even years, but when you pick up the phone or they drop by for tea or coffee or you drop by, it's like the time you didn't see each other was just a short time apart but it does give you a lot to talk about.

Sometimes bad things happen and you always make time to help, hug, talk and get each other through the situation.

Friendship is many-faceted and it is different things for different people and my friendships are different in that way too.

My second cousin Brenda once said that at some point your children stop being your children and become your friends.

My girls Juliet and Kirsty are amazing friends but they are still my children, but we treat each other as close friends.

I don't know what starts a friendship, you may have something in common, you may compliment someone or they may compliment you, and from very small beginnings, your friendship can grow into something beautiful.

Eventually, you may end up living together and that has to be based on very strong friendship, with added love and trust, as well as enjoying similar things while giving each other time to pursue non-mutual interests, that is what I have with Fiona.

When I joined Vocal I didn't really hold out much hope for it, but I often say that the greatest treasure that Vocal has given me are the friendships I have made here. While I might be able to leave Vocal I could never lose the friendships that I have made here.

I have been there for lots of people and they have been there for me.

When I got hit by liver cancer I got amazing support from my friends on Vocal and work was amazing too. I don't know if that strengthened my friendships because life-threatening situations can scare people away, but everyone stayed with me, and luckily, thanks to our amazing National I stayed with you and my family, and I consider many of my consultants as my friends.

Thanks to Tim Berners-Lee and many others friendships can develop and grow globally.

I have extremely strong friendships with many in Canada, Texas, Wyoming, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, and around the United Kingdom as well. Even twenty years ago these friendships could not have happened in the way that they have.

Conclusion

Friendships help give my life purpose. Friendships give me support, encouragement, comfort, help and more. I need to put in as much effort if not more, as my friends put into our friendships because I am lucky to have a comfortable life and so am in a position to do that.

These are some of my thoughts on friendship and thank you so much for reading my friend.