Best Friends - It's Not a Label, It's a Promise

I found this Flair on FaceBook and it reminded me of something I once told Heather. We've both been known to get upset at times and worry that the other will leave us, and it was at one of these times that I told her that I wanted to be her friend forever and I was going to do everything in my power to make sure that she had neither reason nor desire do leave me.

It isn't always easy - keeping a strong friendship rarely is, I think. A lot of times it means making sacrifices and doing things you don't always enjoy, but I think this is the main part of friendships. It doesn't matter how much you have in common, or how close you live if you are really willing to make it work.

If you love your friend and really, truly want to be a good friend to her it won't matter if you enjoy writing - you'll do it with her because you know it is important to her and you'll be willing to make that sacrifice. If you love your friend and want to have a strong friendship it won't matter if it is hard for you to open up when she hurts you - you'll do it because you know that if you don't your friendship will suffer.

I know that I Promise You by Selena Gomez is actually about a couple dating, but some of the lyrics could apply to this very well I think:

But I'm sure heart and soul
That I am never letting you go

I know, I know, I know, I know,
We're gonna make it
'Cause no one else can
Make me feel the way that you do
I promise you
I know, I know, I know, I know,
We're gonna get there
Today, tomorrow,
And forever we will stay true
I Promise you

I'll never let you down
I'll always hear you out
There is nothing you cannot confide.
You listen when I speak
...
And I just want you by my side

Friendship is about more than just having someone who enjoys the same things as you do - it's about loving the person enough to do hard things, and to make sacrifices for them. If Heather and I did not, we would not still be friends.

So the next time a friend wants to do something you don't, or the next time a friend hurts you and you think "oh, I don't want to mention it" think of this: "best friends - it's not a label - it's a promise."