Gratitude for My Friendships

In what ways can you nurture and build your friendships? Rupi Kaur's Gratitude Writing Prompts

Before I was in school and in kindergarten I had a friend that lived on our block. Her name was Mary Jo Svoboda. I haven't seen her since kindergarten but I do remember her. We played together and had fun.

Then there were moves and I don't remember being close to any children, except my siblings and cousins. My favorite cousin was there when we lived on the White Earth reservation one year. We had fun together and she stayed with us when my brother 10 years younger than me was being born.

We stayed in touch infrequently, but I always considered her my favorite cousin/friend as we had fun together. She died when she was about 20 give or take a year. I should know as I have taken care of her grave for many years, but I don't remember that. I just know it was too soon.

In the fifth grade, my best friend had parents that were pretty strict. Mine was not, so her parents made the rules for us. It was okay though as if I wanted to spend time with her then I would go by her rules. Some years later, I stopped spending as much time with her due to those rules.

This friend is still alive and appears to be living life. We are not close as she began a relationship with my ex-husband after the divorce. I have spent time with her since my ex-husband remarried someone else and then he died young.

I moved in with a friend in the 10th grade that had more freedom then my grade school and middle school friend. We drank and ran around, and got into some minor trouble. Nothing real serious. We had fun. She was my friend until she died of leukemia too young.

When I got into recovery at age 24 is when I started building friendships that would last me the rest of my life. Even with moves, when we spent time together it was like there was no time past. We could pick up where we left off.

When I needed a friend they were there. I have been close enough to friends where I call as I know something is wrong. That has happened with my children and my siblings and now with my close friends.

We have been to meetings together, talked on the phone, went for coffee, and meals. We have been to each others houses and have gone to movies, parties, and stayed with each other over the years. We even watched each others kids as they were growing up.

Some of those relationships go back 45 years.

The above women are all living and still friends to this day. Other friends are deceased and still others were my sisters friends and I see them once in a while and consider them sister friends as they were with my sister.

I sponsor women and I have not included their photos here as I have sponsors that are not included here either and I consider all of them friends as well. I support all of the women in whatever way I can and they offer the same support to me.

Nurturing and building friendships takes commitment. It is easier now as I have the energy that I did not have when working full-time. Even working part-time I don't get to see as much of my friends as I would like. Having a large family makes it difficult too. Some of my friends I consider family.