Today, I received an email from Farnoosh at Prolific Living.
It got me thinking and seeing…
If you haven’t met Farnoosh, let me introduce her. She shines light on subjects about, well, about prolific living. Telling stories, making connections and sharing feelings.
Today her post was about 36 Lessons on Building Lasting Friendships…
The lesson began with a beautiful quote by Baz Luhrmann and went on to list perspectives of lasting friendships.
Take a look. I imagine you’ll recognize them, and some that have been very important to you.
You’ll see mention of the ebb and flow of friendships. For me that has certainly been true, usually based on changing locations, involvements and perspectives.
Yet I see a common core in the friends that have lasted decades…
The only part you can control in lasting friendships – is you. Respecting yourself and bringing the real you are basic steps. With good friends that seems easy, though sometimes it’s hard. But without you, there is no relationship.
Respect your friends. There are so many ways to do that, but the common threads for me have been kindness, honesty and gratitude (with a large does of fun 
). Over lasting friendships, the respect of support and forgiveness have gone hand in hand.
Spend time with the friends who respect you. Obvious? Yes. But still worth repeating.
Communicate with these friends. Sharing and listening are the glue of relationships. In easy times it seems so natural, in hard times it’s even more important. And it’s easy to forget.
Time is the cement. Close friends develop with the time you give them.
Somehow I got to thinking about close friends…the special category of long-lasting – close friends. The ones you call first, in moments of joy and times of pain. They know you better than anyone, and lasting friendships with them yield so much … in honesty, kindness and generosity.
My father once told me that you count your close friends on the fingers of one hand. In a world where there are more friends than ever, I’ve found that to be true.
Thank you Farnoosh for bringing the light. It’s helpful.
Lasting friendships add to life – one friend at a time.
How have you maintained friendships?
When has it been easy?
When has it been difficult?
Please share your stories and spread the word.
Have Fun,
Jim
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Tags: areas of movement, positive energy, wisdom
Jim, flattery will get you everywhere with me
Seriously, thank you for such kind words, such a beautiful tribute to prolific living and most of all, such a great addition to a small list I started on a topic we can all relate closely, that of lasting friendships. I wish you as many as you can handle (or rather, as many as you can count on your fingers but no more!)
Thank you Jim and wonderful to meet you!
Farnoosh! Thank you! It’s such a pleasure to find people like you (generous, kind, honest…). I think I may have to reconsider that fingers of one hand thing, maybe its two hands and ten toes…
Thank you for sharing.
Have fun,
Jim