Yesterday was E.B White’s birthday. I will be the first to admit that I absolutely LOVE Charlotte’s Web. I was so excited when my Little Love had to read it for school last year.

And this quote, my goodness. It tugs at my heart each and every time I read it. Because in life, if you are ever lucky enough to have a friend or several friends that have always been there for you, CHERISH them.

While I feel so incredibly BLESSED to have such amazing friendships and bonds, like most, there are always those one or two that know and understand you to your core. You rely on them, trust them, share your deepest and darkest fears and life’s secrets with. They are the first to know about your happy moments. You share your life’s accomplishments with them. While many best friends are not blood related, your bond with them is stronger than anything you have ever experienced with anyone. They become your family. (It’s a bonus if they can put up with your ridiculous sense of humor and sarcasm).  

So once again, if you are lucky enough to have this person in your life, take care of this friendship. Always give back. Let them know you love them. Don’t do things out of obligations, but simply because you know, like Charlotte, that they have been an amazing friend to you…and that is enough.

From East and West Series (summarized by Jessie Agudo), these are ways to nurture lasting friendships:

• Accept them as they are.  Permit your friends to be themselves.  Accept them as they are.  Be grateful for what is there, not annoyed by what friends can’t give.  Don’t feel threatened if their opinions and tastes sometimes differ from yours.  Accept each other’s uniqueness and imperfections.
• Give and receive.  Be ready to give and receive.  Be eager to help and ask for help as well.  But don’t be over-demanding or let yourself be used.
• Listen to your friend.  Make your advice constructive.  When a friend needs to talk, listen without interruption.  Be positive and supportive if advice is needed.
• Give each other space.  Friendship who try to invade the inner space of another risk destroying the relationship.
• Trust your friends.  Make the effort to believe in the intrinsic goodness of friendship.
• Be loyal.  It means being with your friend in bad times as well as in good times.  You do not allowed others to backbite your friend.
• Words of praise and encouragement. Tell them what you like about them and how thankful you are for their presence in your life.   Delight in their talents and applaud their successes.
• Be honest.  Express your feelings, bad or good, instead of bottling up your anger or anxiety.  Open communication is the essence of friendship.
• Be willing to take the risk.  We often fear being rejected or hurt.  We don’t want to reveal our vulnerability.  We condemn ourselves to a sterile life unless we dare to have others.
• No number one.  Treat friends as equal.  In a true friendship, there is no number one.  There should be no room for showing off how smart and successful you are, for envy, for feeling inferior or superior.

Thank you to ALL my fabulous friends…I love you all. 

Cheers to our good friends,

Fuel The Soul

Anna