Today’s Five Minute Friday Word Prompt is: Friend.

 

The Five Minute Part:

Today was a busy day so I jotted down thoughts that came to me about “Friend” in my notepad  in half-minute spurts throughout the day. By the time I sat down to type it all out it had grown into a huge list and my heart was so FULL of gratefullness for the rich friendships God has blessed me with throughout my whole life. Some friends have come and gone, others were for only a small moment of my life, while many kindred spirits and brave and steadfast souls have stuck with me, we have been seasoned together and branded by the marks of love and life. It is because of these friendships that I have come this far and have the courage to continue on this journey in hope. When I think about God and where to find Him, I think of my family and my friends first. For it has been through them that I have experienced His Joy, His Sorrow, His Comfort, His Love, and His Peace. 

Thank you friends, you are all truly dear to my heart and I thank God every day for you.

 

Here is the longer version of the notes I thought of about “Friend” based on my own experiences and others that I’ve observed, this is definitely longer than “Five Minutes”:

 

A friend –

 

Knows you before you even know how to talk

Stares at you and giggles while trying to grab your hair

Crawls around on the floor with you sharing drool soaked toys and cracker crumbs

 

Starts talking to you in the sandbox at the park and calls you her best friend before she even knows your name

Walks over with her mom and asks if she can be your friend

Plays hide and seek and glad light tag in the summer until way past bedtime

Plays Barbies and Ponies in your room for hours

 

Has sleepovers at your house and hers the next night and yours again until your parents finally decide they are not going to adopt so it’s time for her to go back to her own family and you to yours.

Laughs together with you so hard that you really start to wonder if you really can die from laughing too hard.

Buys a friendship bracelet with you

makes friendship bracelets together

helps make and sell scrunchies with you

Calls random people in the phone book with you on hot and boring summer days

Calls your crush and declares your undying love for him despite your excessive pleads not to and rolls around on the floor laughing with you afterwards.

Squeals with you when you get asked in your first date.

Sits by you and cries with you when he breaks up with you of another “prettier” girl 

 

Invites you to sit at her table on the first day of school when you feel alone and friendless

Sings at the top of your lungs in the car with you

Plays sardines in Kohls and scavenger hunts in Walmart

Throws you a surprise birthday party

Loves you even though you can be incredibly annoying

Prays with you

Invites you to go deeper and closer in love for Christ

Challenges you to seek Truth, even when nothing really makes sense anymore

 

Stays up late into the wee morning hours with you pondering God an discussing the ways of the world

Just sits with you in the silence, no needs for words

Sits on picnick benches with you dreaming about getting married and having babies

Makes you ask that one boy to the dance, promising it will be “just this once”

then convinces you to “go for it” when that  “just this once” date evolves into a great friendship which then evolves into something deeper despite the unknown future

 

Reaches out to you and befriends you when you have moved 1000 miles away from everything you have built up, all your friends and the one you’ve grown to love

Sends you letters and calls you so you know you are not forgotten, not unloved and dearly missed

listens to you over the phone as you cry over what you bitterly miss and your whole world makes no sense anymore

 

 

Is the first one you announce your engagement to and show off your shiney new ring

Prays for you and your fiance

Trust you, believes in you, and is genuinely excited for you and him, even when everyone else has their doubts

Throws you your bridal shower and discusses the intricate details about wedding stuff that doesn’t really matter but also does

Buys you a granny-sized incredibly ugly nightgown (that is more like a sleeping bag) for your bachelorette “lingerie” party.

Flies 1000 miles to be at and sing at your wedding

Stays with you and commiserates with you when the photographer shows up 3 hours LATE

Fixes your veil falling out of your hair during the middle of the Wedding Mass

Takes the cute and sweet little flower girl to the bathroom during the middle of the Vows

Toasts, dines, and dances with you to celebrate the beginning of a happy and Sacred new life together

 

Goes with you to buy your first pregnancy test 

Rejoices with you when there are two lines!

Cries with you and prays with you when you only see one line or have to say goodbye too soon or even before you got to say hello.

 

Breathes with you and encourages you when push comes to shove and it’s time to get that baby out but all you want to do is runaway

Looks me in the eyes and tells me “Yes, you CAN do this.”

Cries with me and ooos with me and wonders in awe with me over a precious and tiny little human being

 

Brings you meals and cleans your kitchen after welcoming a new member into the family

Grabs your boobs and shows you how to correctly latch your baby so you can feed the child and make him stop crying {and your nipples stop bleeding}

Brings you a pump and maybe some formula and goes on a diaper run for you in the middle of the night 

Listens to you vent and offers you a hug {and some wine} after a long day, knowing that no matter how much you complain you really do love them all more than anyone could ever know

Holds your baby and entertains the littles while you make dinner, or shower, or take a nap…or sit and stare at a blank wall for a few hours

Encourages you to try new things, find what works for you – not them.

Advises and counsels you when trying to figure out where to go next

Sends you random messages to brighten your day or remind you how to laugh at life 

 

Holds your hand at the funerals….and in the months and years that pass after 

Does you family’s laundry – even the dirty underwear – while you go through cancer treatment or other illness

Forgives past {and present} immaturities, misjudgements, and general stupidity. 

Walks with you through the shadows

Lights the path through the dark hours

 

Comes to visit you when everyone else has gone

Reaches over and holds your wrinkled hand and laughs with you while reflecting on a long and joy-filled life 

Gives you one last hug for old time’s sake, thanks you for a good friendship

Then closes your eyes and says goodbye

And prays for your soul

Until you are together again