To be a friend, according to one definition is a person that you share a bond of affection. People have friends that they’ve grown up with, friends through work, friends they have met through other friends, and some are just gifts God has put in our lives. Those who have many friends usually have a knack for being a friend.
Everyone has different things they look for in friends. One of the main things I want is someone that is interesting to talk to. That means someone who doesn’t always talk about themselves. I found a few other opinions on good conversationalists.
“The rule is not to talk about money with people who have much more or much less than you,” said Katherine Whitehorn.
Gerald Nachman said, “The toughest part of being on a diet is shutting up about it.”
Health topics can be a real yawner. I read this quote, that wasn’t attributed to anyone, “A bore is someone who, when asked how he is, tells you.”
And there are those times when you feel trapped by the person who won’t hush. William Dean Howells says about them, “Some people stay longer in an hour than others do in a month.” I think that’s me sometimes. But I try not to make it a daily habit!
A friend is interested in what is going on with you. Those who are only wanting to talk about themselves want an audience, not a friend.
The person who is honest and dependable, who won’t be talking smack about you when you’re not in the room is a friend. The one who talks smack about you when you’re in the conversation is a fun friend, oftentimes.
There are those who you don’t see that often, but you know they care, that they say a prayer for you some days, and if something was to go wrong, they are likely to walk in the door. It doesn’t matter how you met them, it just matters that you have them. And you’ll keep them if you are willing to do the same for them.
A good friend of mine read something titled, “Sweetness of Friendship” and was kind enough to email it to me. Her simple note said, “Thought of you when I read this. You’ve become one of my most cherished friends.” Someone who does something like that is the sort that makes your life precious. They bring out the best in you and make you able to see life as special.
Here’s what she sent with her email, “In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed. I have come to the realization that friends are the only true staple in life. More than food, they sustain us as we hike that trail of life, taking the road less traveled, and more than water they quench our thirst, our thirst for living, our thirst for life.”
Be a friend today. It matters … just like it mattered to me when I read what my friend sent me.
Go to the dance at the No Man’s Land Center on July 15. You might find a new friend that evening! Twelve Gauge is playing their country and western tunes for the dance that goes from 7 to 10 pm. Call 338-7216 if you have questions.
If you know of someone that has a Special Needs child or grandchild, be sure to tell them about the monthly support meeting on July 17 that starts at 6 pm in the Main Street Guymon office.
And if you’re wanting to meet new friends or have some visit time while doing something for others, come and crochet (there’s a teacher if you don’t know how) at the Main Street Guymon office on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in July from 5 to 6 pm. Bring your own crochet project or come and use the donated yarn and make a lap robe for someone in the nursing home.
It’s all good.
See you on the bricks!