A testament to friendship
In a world where everything moves fast, careers evolve, cities change, and lives shift before we even notice, true friendship remains deeply grounding. Not just social media “friendship” but the kind that’s a testament to love, loyalty, and life itself.
Friendship is a choice. We don’t choose our family, but we choose our friends, who sometimes become closer than family. We surround ourselves with people who reflect who we are or who we want to emulate. It matters deeply to choose friends who are kind and trustworthy, but who also inspire growth, offer safety and honesty. Typically, such friends stay for life.
Good friends cheer us on when we’re winning, but they also walk beside us when we’re lost. They challenge our thinking, support our dreams, and love us enough to tell us the truth, even when it’s hard to hear. Choosing lifelong friends means choosing people who are invested in your soul, not just your social calendar.
A friendship may weather its share of seasons. There will be springtimes, when everything feels joyful: new jobs, weddings, babies and road trips. There will also be winters: misunderstandings, silence or life pulling you in different directions.
Remaining close through those seasons requires commitment. Like sending a text that says “thinking of you”, after many quiet months. It requires vulnerability and forgiveness - saying “I miss you,” or “I need you,” without shame.
It’s often the small gestures and acts of support that build unshakeable bonds: remembering birthdays without Facebook reminders, checking in after a tough week, showing up to a funeral, staying up late to chat when a heart breaks, or holding space, without saying a word.
I was fortunate to witness, recently, a family wedding on a distant exotic island. While the family expected about 20 people (mostly family), to show up, astonishingly there were well over a hundred who flew across the world to witness their friends tie the knot and party with them. That people took considerable time off work, exceptionally long flights, underwent multiple immigration processes, and dealt with brutal jet lag, is an incredible testament to friendship. I’m astounded by that level of love.
Life is not about the number of people we know. It’s about the depth of the relationships we nurture. Friends walk with us through every chapter; when we’re lost and when we’re found, when we succeed and when we stumble. Friends remind us who we are when we forget.
Friendship is the purest expression of love. When chosen wisely and cared for intentionally, it becomes a refuge, a celebration, and a lifelong mirror of the best parts of ourselves.
To friends who stay, grow, and walk beside us, this is a testament to you. It’s a reminder to us all: choose your friends carefully, love them fiercely and show them that you care.
Email me: bernadette@gogettercoaching.com .