This self knowledge is particularly true regarding friendships as an interesting article I read recently pointed out - "Not all friendships are going to last." How very true. In our earlier years, we wanted everybody to be our friend and exuded so much energy in those efforts. As a gardener I particularly liked the article's comparison of friendships to be like flowers in a garden which need tending although not all friendships deserve it. We have 'cultivated' friendships but some plants as relationships take more work. Some are just too much work.
At this time of our lives we only have so much time left, so why not surround ourselves with 'good' friends and better yet, be one?
5 traits listed that make a friend worth keeping are:
1) Friends who make the effort. Forgiving's much easier.
2) Friends genuinely happy for you when something good happens. It's a 2 way street.
3) Friends who are upbeat. Not Debbie Downers
4) Friends who are up for anything. Flexible
5) Friends who are authentic.
In Brownies back in the 60's we learned the song - Make New Friends but Keep the Old. Maybe the lyrics should have been "Make new friends but keep SOME of the old."
You mean we don't have hundreds of friends on Facebook?
Very insightful and timely article. As I meet people and form friendships I'm getting fussier and fussier about which ones I want to keep up on. Your analogy of friendships being like flowers was excellent. I guess my approach to friends is much like the gardens I kept - they had to be able to keep going without a lot from me, because I just don't feel the need to exude all that energy on each one any more. I like the friends that are easiest to talk to and we can pick up on a conversation after not seeing each other like it's just been yesterday. I always lived in one place as a child and was quite shy. It wasn't until later that I had to force myself to become more outgoing and be able to meet people. Thank you for the gift of this blog - it really struck a chord with me.
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