I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends

“Close friends are truly life’s treasures. Sometimes they know us better than we know ourselves. With gentle honesty, they are there to guide and support us, to share our laughter and our tears. Their presence reminds us that we are never really alone.”
Vincent van Gogh

For as long as I remember, I’ve had many friends in my life. One of the earliest friendships I remember was from when I was 4 or 5 and my best friend lived across the street. When I moved out of state a few years later, we stayed pen pal friends for quite a long time and today, we are still friends on Facebook. We may not chat much now, but it’s pretty cool to know we have that life long connection.

I honestly can’t recall a time when I wasn’t without a friend or two. I don’t think I can even determine if I ever felt lonely, especially being an only child, because my friends have been there for me in one way or another. From childhood friends and throughout college and work, I have made some great friendships along the way, each one providing me with a gift I treasure always.

Some of my closest friends have been those that have been a part of my life since having my own family. As a parent with kids in activities, it’s almost inevitable that you are going to make some friends. If you’re lucky, you become close and you get to share in each other’s milestones, the heartaches, the accomplishments and challenges of life, all of it with immense love, laughter and compassion. I can proudly attest that I have those kinds of friends.

A place I wasn’t necessarily expecting to build such close friendships has been at church. When my kids were attending Susanna Wesley School, the pastor was hosting a meet and greet coffee time at drop off and I decided to join. I learned he was a dad with two kids, one who was also attending the preschool like mine! To connect with a pastor who not only was my contemporary, but could relate to all the things a parent with young children experience was fantastic. He approached me at the right moment because it was at a time in my life that I was seeking a spiritual connection. Pastor Tim had a great way of telling a story at the pulpit. I thoroughly enjoyed his sermons. I attended regularly and became a member about year later. During his time at HUMC, I met other families and people who became my friends. The relationships from church have been some of the most important ones in my life. There is a tremendous amount of trust and love.

They say it takes a village to raise a family. I’ll take it a step further and say it takes a village to survive life. Without the support of friends and family, how do we cope with all the things that we experience in life without being able to share and lean on others? I certainly wouldn’t be able to get through life without my friends. They are my family.

In one of my favorite movies, “It’s A Wonderful Life”, a character named Clarence wrote to Jimmy Stewart’s character at the end of the movie the following:

Clarence wrote this to George in “It’s a Wonderful Life”

I love this so much. It always makes me cry because I realize that despite the pitfalls of life, one thing has always remained constant…my friends. In all stages and seasons of my life, I am so grateful to have those I can lean on their shoulders or share a good laugh because we all get by with a little help from our friends.