Maxim Monday: Love Your Friends

Last updated on: October 15, 2012 at 1:47 pm by Niki Whiting

Maxim Monday: Love Your Friends 2012-10-15T13:47:07-08:00 Niki Whiting

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I love my friends. I’m loyal to a fault. I often cling to relationships well past their ‘use by’ date. But if I’ve decided that you are a Friend, it takes a lot to shake me off. Moving so much, so often over the last fifteen years has taken a toll on many of my friendships. I’m still as fond of my old friends as ever, but it can be difficult to maintain or even renew some bonds.

But now I’ve found my ‘forever home’ and I’m excited to forge relationships here, relationships that I hope will grow and be nurtured over decades. Building community is incredibly important to me and my husband. We want to be around people who are passionate, engaged, open to new experiences and discussion, and who are willing to show up in rough times, as well as fun times. We’re already forging some beautiful connections here, a village, we call it. Our friends mostly have kids the same ages as ours, but one family just gave birth to their first child less than a week ago. Another friend is dealing with divorce.

It’s these life transitions that allow us to love on our friends with the kind of tangible support I know I’ve found invaluable in my own life. I have become a huge fan of the strengths of internet/social media friendships (I was once a doubter of mocking proportions); online social circles are important and can be incredibly supportive when we need a high five or a morale boost. But for me, there is nothing so satisfying as being able to show up with soup (or homemade carnitas and refried beans) when some one is ill or post-partum, to say ‘Hey, come over and I’ll pour you a glass of wine, and you can tell me all about it,” to be able to watch the kids when a meeting gets switched last minute.

These acts are loving my friends – and letting them love me.

There’s magic in community. There’s magic in my village.

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