Those words were said by Charles Dickens, and they still sure fit today.
There’s nothing like having a friend ~ someone you feel so comfortable with that you share the best and worst of yourself, without wondering if they’ll still be your friend.
I love having Patti and Petie as friends, but I also have other friends, too. I get to share my thoughts and dreams, my successes and failures and have lots of fun with all kinds of people.
By having friends outside of my family, I get to learn how other people live, what they believe in, different foods they eat and holidays they celebrate.
The most important thing I learned about keeping friends is that you have to trust them ~ there’s no gossiping and no saying cruel things. Sometimes that is hard for me to do, but I’m learning how to hold my tongue and not judge people for what they’re wearing or how they look. After all, appearances can be deceiving. Oh, and there should never be pressure to do something you don’t want to do. I know how important it is to just be myself ~ people like me because of who I am, not because I’m making believe I’m someone else.
On those days when I’m feeling sad or lonely, I think of Carole King’s song You’ve Got a Friend. It’s one of my favorite songs to sing to help pick me up and remember I just need to reach out to one of my friends and talk about what’s going on:
You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I’ll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I’ll be there
It’s really easy for me to make friends. My personality is pretty much like my hair ~ vibrant! I don’t hesitate going up to someone and saying hello.
Petie’s the same way. He meets a lot of his friends from playing ball and has no qualms joining a pick up game with people he doesn’t know.
Patti’s different ~ she’s shy and likes a lot of alone time, so she doesn’t make friends very easily. The friends she does have are really tight though. She’s such a good listener and that’s something she taught me to be with my friends. To not talk all the time, to let the other person talk about him or herself.
I made a really cool friend recently.
He’s different like me, even his hair color is vibrant like mine, and he has the same ambition to be famous, which is great. I made sure to introduce him to my family, and they immediately fell in love with him. His name is Bean and he has his own show, Bean’s Monkey Business. And, just like us, Bean has his own blog where you can become his friend, too.
So remember, when making friends, you want to:
- Accept people for who they are;
- Listen to what the other person has to say;
- Ask questions;
- Don’t gossip or be cruel;
- Be positive and honest;
- Be yourself; and most importantly,
- Have fun.
Happiness is time spent with a friend
and looking forward to sharing time with them again.
~ Lee Wilkinson
So glad you came by. We’d love to hear from you by either leaving a comment here or sending us an email at thedollsarealright@gmail.com. It’s always fun to make new friends! You can stay in touch by following us on Facebook and even Twitter.
Twitter: stacyvajta
says:
Great post. Every kid (and kid at heart) should read this one!
Ahhhh ~ thanks Stacy. You are the kind of friend everyone should have!
Twitter: msbyn
says:
Awww… Thank you:) I really needed some kind words today. I’ve been feeling kind of down and your post really made me smile. You are such a genuine person and I am so thankful to have met someone ‘weird’ like me (as far as those normal folks are concerned:) Its rare to meet others who live out side of the box, so I’m glad you came and found our blog and that we all met!
Byn recently posted..Thank You! Friends and Support are AWESOME!
Great post. I particularly love that Tricia, who’s more gregarious, wrote this one. she’s such a smart cookie!
I’m a big promoter of listening. You see, I’m more like Patti (quieter and the listener), and while I DO love listening and hearing others, sometimes it’s also nice to be heard. Everyone should get a turn.
Besides, why should I/Patti always be the ones getting to learn from others?!
Sorry you were feeling kind of down today, but very glad we were able to lift you up a bit. As my mother used to say, “water meets its own level.” Okay, so I’m not quite sure what that really means ~ it just comes down to that I’m as glad as you that we met.
Truth is, I love learning from and about you and about South Africa. It’s always exciting to read your blogs and learn something new. And thanks for the compliment. You see, most people think that because I’m the pretty one, I’m not as smart as Patti ~ but we’re both really smart.
What a wonderful post. My fave friend-making one is the first one you listed: “Accept people for who they are.” That’s the best advice anyone can give for both friends & strangers
Sylver Blaque recently posted..Nothing Else Matters
I agree ~ accepting someone for who they are is so important … friend, family, strangers. When we finally stop trying to control/change the person we’re with, life becomes so much easier. So very glad you came by!
Twitter: MOLM2011
says:
I just wrote a similar post today about making friends, and this was before I read yours!
Have a great week!
Making Our Life Matter recently posted..Beyond The Comfort Zone
Cool ~ can’t wait to check it out later today after school. Making friends is definitely something to celebrate and write about. Thanks for coming by!
Twitter: nighlon
says:
LOVE this post! It is so true. Friends, no matter new or old, are the most important part of creating a perfect life for yourself (family are also friends). Did you know that today is Charles Dickens’ 200th birthday?
Cari recently posted..Best of the Web Linky: Blogger’s Edition
Oh Cari, so glad you love this post! I didn’t know about Charles Dickens’ birthday ~ even though he would have been quite old, his words are still fresh. Having you as a new friend is very fun ~ I’m delighted!
Such a great post! I’m going to read this with my daughter when she gets home!
Makes me smile to know that you enjoyed this. Hope your daughter does too! So glad you came by.
Boy, Lucas and I are so lucky to have you all as friends!
Ahhh, and we’re quite blessed to have you as friends!
Friends are so important and I have learned that even more now that I have children! Great post
Bonnie Ferrell recently posted..Home
Thank you. You’re so right, having friends is important. Having a good friend that you can share anything with makes life so much gentler ~ someone to laugh with, to cry with and just bounce things off of. My friends have gotten me through so much over the years.
So glad you came by to visit Bonnie.