Friendship

I'm not one who directly thanks all storms that come into our lives; some are too traumatic to hold them in any glory. But, I acknowledge them. I understand their arrival as desperate, divine opportunities to explore our as-is and transform our to-become.

I don’t thank storms, but I recognize them. Now, I hold a deep sense of grace and gratitude in their presence for who we brave to be, and for the grace-filled people who choose to weather their conditions unconditionally beside us. I don’t thank the storms; I thank people; ourselves and our people. 

It’s been said,

“friendship isn’t one big thing, it’s a million little things."  I love this, but I'd alter it to read, it's a million little BIG things. I thought I'd expand a bit.

These last years have certainly refined my definition of friendship and brought clarity to what that is for me. 

To be there, to really be there for our friends, for the a million little BIG things. 

While this refined definition is not profound in its words, it’s deeply significant in meaning to me: To show up. To stand in the storm through its passing. To listen. To do; not to ask what can be done, but to simply do; something, anything. If nothing more than sharing a simple message of “I’m thinking about you” again, and again, and again. And maybe again. I was gifted this friend, and she was a life-line of sorts.

The truth is, friendship isn’t always convenient, and it’s rarely a two-way street at the exact same time; someone always stands to give a little more, to take a little more. That’s the beauty of deep friendship; the unspoken mutual interest, respect, and equity that becomes over time in the give and the take. 

I truly believe through first-hand experience that deep friendship is a necessity in life. It carries light in all its forms. It’s an extra bucket of grace and compassion and love when our container is low. It’s dynamic and yet straightforward. It’s selfless and yet self-fulfilling. It’s inviting yet protective. It’s demanding yet energizing. It’s precious and an enormous privilege.

“They say friendship isn’t one big thing, it’s a million little things.” 

It’s a million little BIG things. 

Life has certainly proven this true to me. 

To my few a million little BIG things people and deep friendships, thank you. I am grateful.

And to you and yours, what a beautiful gift you are to one another.

Melissa, The Buzz