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By Claire Jentsch
Since today is Best Friend Day, we’ve been pondering that question. Is a great friend someone who has known you a long time? Someone who quotes your favorite movies with you? Or just someone you can spend time with every day without getting tired of each other? Of course, a friend can be all of these things and so much more. We could spend a lifetime gathering people’s reasons for choosing their closest friends, but for today we’ll present this one: A great friend is someone who brings you strength.
Imagine a time when you were in a room full of people you didn’t know, standing in a corner, pretending that something interesting was happening on your phone. At best you felt a little awkward. At worst you were overcome with anxiety and terrified to speak to anyone. Now imagine how it felt when your friend walked into the room. You probably had to restrain yourself from breaking into a run, so relieved were you that someone was coming to stand with you.
Now imagine that same friend walking into the room after you found out that one of your close family members has died, or after you embarrassed yourself in an interview, or while you’re suffering the consequences of a huge mistake. The party full of strangers is a simpler example, but the feeling is the same. The appearance of a great friend breaks through loneliness, and even though the problem is nowhere near gone, the weight of the problem ceases to crush you.
Like the wind under the sails of a stranded raft, a great friend helps us bear the weight of our struggles and move forward. They remind us of who we are when we feel like we’re spiraling out of control. They come alongside us in our most vulnerable, weakest moments and remind us that we’re worthwhile, even at our worst. A great friend, even when far away, stands with us and shares their strength. A great friend reminds us that we are strong, and that we are not alone.
At Symbology we stand with our friends in India and other countries, women of incredible strength whose work provides for their families and whose resilience humbles and inspires us.
As a challenge for Best Friend Day, think about who you stand with and who you strengthen. Do you have a friend who does the same for you? If so, reach out and tell them how much they mean to you. You never know when they might need you to walk into their life.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and tag your best friends to win one of our beautiful pieces, hand-crafted by women artisans in India.