Friendship is defined as a mutual bond of trust, care, and support between people. It’s built on shared understanding, respect and connection, where all individuals value each other’s presence and well-being. Unlike family or professional ties, friendship is chosen – it thrives on genuine companionship, loyalty, and comfort of being accepted as you are.
There are many types of friendships out there. There’s no one size fits all. Seasonal friendships are probably more common, such as childhood friends, school friends or work friends. These individuals come into your life for a period of time, bringing value in the moment but aren’t intended to last forever since we, as individuals, change and grow and our lives take different directions. But some friendships can last a lifetime. Lucky is the person who has a friend like that.
It would be lovely if all our friendships were like the TV shows. You know the ones where you have that perfect group of friends who have each other’s back no matter what. I guess having a circle of friends like that would be cool. But, to be honest, I’ve never had a group of friends like ones on TV, which always made me wonder what was wrong with me that I didn’t?
Ultimately, both the group or the one-on-one friendships require effort, honesty and balance. The key is recognizing what you need at different stages of life and valuing the relationships that make you feel most supported and understood.
Friendship, in any form, can be a source of joy, support, and belonging whether you’re in a group or have that one good friend. The value is in having a friend. The absence of a meaningful human connection can be emotionally harmful and possibly make an individual feel invisible, unloved or that their lives lack meaning. Recognizing that human contact is essential to our mental and emotional health is a huge step towards finding balance in your life.
As women, we are often overwhelmed with responsibilities that can leave us drained and feeling isolated. We get caught up in our jobs or in raising children and we forget to take care of our own needs. You might feel alone, but you aren’t. There are women out in the world right now who are facing the same challenges. Never think no one cares because that’s not true. Most communities have some type of support group. Reach out and see if there’s one just right for you. Friendships can be found where you least expect it, so claim the connection you deserve to have. And it doesn’t matter if you have just one good friend or a dozen. What matters is having that connection.
So the question I asked myself earlier in this blog…what was wrong with me that I didn’t belong to a group of friends? The answer…absolutely nothing. That’s just the way the cards were dealt. And knowing there’s at least one person out there who gets me is just fine.
If you are in need of support, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (dial 988) and Crisis Text Line (741741) are there for you. Just reach out.