What is a Friend?

What is the definition of a friend? Someone who is there for you? Someone who listens? Someone you can count on? Webster defines it this way: Function: noun. 1 : a person who has a strong liking for and trust in another. 2 : a person who is not an enemy <are you friend or foe> 3 : a person who aids or favors something.

 A true friend is a friend when it’s convenient and when it is not. They standby you consistently both when you are present and when you are not. They're Authentic and Honest with You. True friends aren't phony with you. They show you who they really are.

We can all look through our own lives and recall instances when we knew who our friends were and weren’t. From the early years of grade school and name-calling to high school and peer pressure friendship plays an all-encompassing role in our lives, no matter our age.

Now in my 50’s I feel I rely on friends more than at any other time in my life. The best friendships are those that maintain regardless of time passage. My dearest friends are well over 6000 miles away. We communicate every few months thanks to technology, and sometimes we go years without seeing each other- yet whenever we’re able to meet in person the dynamic of our love for each other manifests in an instant. A race to each other’s arms, an embracing hug that lasts more than a few seconds, laughter and smiles at seeing each other again, hands held while side by side- it’s challenging to describe the depth of feeling when we’re able to physically see each other again! We chatter, talk, laugh and sometimes cry as we recount the many stories and experiences we’ve each endured during our absence. No matter the length of time, no matter the political climate, no matter the heartache or miscommunication- in every country, our friendship remains as deeply embedded as ever before.

We are simply grateful to be together again, side by side, soul to soul, heart to heart. Friendship is not a chore or a burden- it ebbs and flows fluidly through time as a feeling of connection that distance cannot sever.

As we celebrate Best Friends Day this year lets share a heartfelt note, gift or acknowledgement with the friend who has been there for us- no matter the time, place or distance!

From the Rakhi String Bracelet to the Triple Pearl Cable and it’s meaning of remembering the past, looking toward the future yet being centered in the present- we acknowledge those individuals in our lives who are there for us in the capacity of “Friend”.