With a Little Help from my Friends

Friends have a way of defining your life. I learned this lesson as a five year old.

As the proud possessor of overalls which boasted pink and white polka dot linings, I came to a logical conclusion. Polka dot linings were far too interesting to remain unseen. Therefore, the only appropriate course of action was to pull the pocket lining inside out. Thanks to my trendsetting abilities, I soon convinced my 5 year old best friend to do the same with her rather plain pocket lining. After all, that is why we have best friends, right?

Life goes on, and we do not remain five years old forever. While best friends are there for you as five year old fashionistas, their role does not end there. As we grow older, the importance of good friends increases exponentially.

The friends which I made in college have radically changed my life. From late night talks, to early morning classes, Wal-Mart excursions, and road trips across the country, we have shared wonderful experiences with one another. We have laughed together. We’ve cried together. Through the years, we have celebrated and commiserated with one another.

One of the most amazing powers which true friendship offers is the ability to communicate without uttering a word. On a recent trip to Starbucks, I was able to have a complete non-verbal communication with my college roommate. Not only do these conversations negate the need for words, they communicate far more than a typical verbal exchange could ever relate. ­­

As life becomes more complicated, the need for true friends increases. The late-night gossip sessions of college morph into serious late-night discussions regarding life altering choices and incidents. The dreams and plans begin to take shape- often in forms which we do not expect (and often do not appreciate at the time).

From someone who will turn their pockets inside out with you, to someone who will listen as you rant for hours about life, a true friend is one who you cannot live without. A.A. Miline could not have said it better when he stated: “And Pooh said to Piglet, ‘it is so much friendlier with two’”.