Lent Day 36: Friends

My entire life, I have longed for really close friendships that I knew would last a lifetime.  Many tears have been shed over friendships lost or those that weren’t what I initially thought.  It was tough growing up without many friends, but my life today is a different story. 

Throughout elementary, middle, and high school, I did not have many friends.  My first day of public school (7^th grade), only one student spoke to me.  She and I became close very quickly and remained close until graduation.  We went through a lot of life by each other’s side.  My friendship with her was my very first taste of what a fruitful friendship is capable of being.  After that, though, we both went our separate ways for college and rarely saw each other.  We haven’t seen or spoken to each other in a couple years now.  I graduated 7 years ago and only keep in touch regularly with maybe 2 people from high school, one of which I met my senior year.

College was a bit of the same, but a little better.  I met the guy who was to become my best friend (and, little did I know then, my future husband) the weekend before classes began freshman year.  He was my rock the entire 4 years of undergrad.  I had a few other close friends during college also, a handful with whom I still keep in touch (and dearly miss them as well as Taco Tuesdays!!).  I also found friends at the church I was attending during college.  Those 4 years, especially junior and senior years, were the first time in my life that I had many people around me who I felt were great friends.  God was answering my prayers.

Medical school was yet another time to start over for me.  In the past 3 years (medical school + post-baccalaureate year), I have found the most amazing friends.  They are absolutely indispensable and a constant encouragement.  Even more friendships are being cultivated with people from church.  I may not have as many friends as some, but the ones I do have are incredibly amazing and know exactly what I need when I need it. 

God has tremendously blessed me with a community of friends that would carry me through pretty much anything.  They walk with me and uplift me, and I am so glad every single one of them is a part of my life.

 

I’ve come to the realization that it really isn’t necessary to have hundreds of friends.  Having a few really close ones whom I know I can depend on at all times and who love me for who I am is pretty spectacular.  I am truly thankful for the friends that I do have.  A large portion of my drive from Tennessee to North Carolina today was spent thanking God for blessing me with such incredible people in my life.  God does answer prayers; and when He answers them, it is very likely that you will wind up with something far greater than you expected. J