"True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it can be lost." -Charles Caleb Colton
I found this quote one day a while back (because I'm the kind of person who enjoys reading random quotes), and wrote in in the front of the journal I was writing in at the time. You see, it stuck out to me because I'm a little bit of a health nut. (Not only am I the kind of person that reads random quotes for entertainment, but I also happen to enjoy exercise-yes, real sweaty exercise.) I love my fruits and veggies, drink LOTS of water, and work out throughout the week. (If only i was this motivated about studying...)
Tori Trivia: I just devoured a giant frozen 3 Musketeers bar while writing the above sentences, and it was delicious. :)
Anyway, the point is, when I read this quote again, it hit me in a different way than before. We take so much for granted. It's like we just act normal to loved ones until they barely crawl out of a massive car wreck or get cancer. Then, when faced with the reality of how brief life is, we kick it into high gear and actually work to make sure those around us know how much we really love them.
....why is that?
If "true friendship" is like our health, then we should take care of our relationships on a regular basis. For example: I love to run, because it keeps my body healthy and in shape (literally-get up out of here freshman 15!!). My body isn't going to function properly if I don't take care of it, and neither will my relationships if I don't keep them healthy. It's just a fact. (You can't lay around and fill your body with junk food and wonder why you are gaining weight-duh.) It is easy to take our bodies for granted, especially when they have always worked just fine regardless of what we fill them with. I'm afraid the same is true in a lot of friendships.
BREAKING NEWS: your friends are real people too!!
They need to be loved on and appreciated. Nurture your friendships-keep them healthy! I hate how sometimes it takes dire circumstances for us to show someone how much we love them, I mean, it really irks me! Why is it so easy to take others for granted?
God asked me a question (convicted me) in an article once:
"What if we stopped viewing people as objects to be obtained, and saw them as walking stories instead?" So...what would that look like? If people ceased to merely be things and became real people? Walking stories. His beautiful creations. :) It's something to stop and think about at least.
When I found this quote the other day, that question immediately popped into my brain...I had forgotten. It is so easy to take it all for granted until it almost slips away, and then I grab it and hold on with all my heart. The way I should've been holding on the whole time, not only when the situation inspires it. God is sovereign and he has a plan, I believe it, but I don't believe that this means we can be lazy and just let life flow on around us. To me, knowing he is sovereign means that I am able to live fearlessly and love passionately. One of my all time favorite verses is in the back half of the book of John, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27) Later in the same book, Christ tells us to "Love one another as I have loved you." (John 15:12)
It seems like an easy task: "trust me, and share my love." Even though it isn't always that easy (which is stupid), it is always that simple. :)
So, God has presented me with the new challenge of taking care of my friendships, and loving the people I share them with as if they could vanish at any moment, because, in reality, they actually could....
I found this quote one day a while back (because I'm the kind of person who enjoys reading random quotes), and wrote in in the front of the journal I was writing in at the time. You see, it stuck out to me because I'm a little bit of a health nut. (Not only am I the kind of person that reads random quotes for entertainment, but I also happen to enjoy exercise-yes, real sweaty exercise.) I love my fruits and veggies, drink LOTS of water, and work out throughout the week. (If only i was this motivated about studying...)
Tori Trivia: I just devoured a giant frozen 3 Musketeers bar while writing the above sentences, and it was delicious. :)
Anyway, the point is, when I read this quote again, it hit me in a different way than before. We take so much for granted. It's like we just act normal to loved ones until they barely crawl out of a massive car wreck or get cancer. Then, when faced with the reality of how brief life is, we kick it into high gear and actually work to make sure those around us know how much we really love them.
....why is that?
If "true friendship" is like our health, then we should take care of our relationships on a regular basis. For example: I love to run, because it keeps my body healthy and in shape (literally-get up out of here freshman 15!!). My body isn't going to function properly if I don't take care of it, and neither will my relationships if I don't keep them healthy. It's just a fact. (You can't lay around and fill your body with junk food and wonder why you are gaining weight-duh.) It is easy to take our bodies for granted, especially when they have always worked just fine regardless of what we fill them with. I'm afraid the same is true in a lot of friendships.
BREAKING NEWS: your friends are real people too!!
They need to be loved on and appreciated. Nurture your friendships-keep them healthy! I hate how sometimes it takes dire circumstances for us to show someone how much we love them, I mean, it really irks me! Why is it so easy to take others for granted?
God asked me a question (convicted me) in an article once:
"What if we stopped viewing people as objects to be obtained, and saw them as walking stories instead?" So...what would that look like? If people ceased to merely be things and became real people? Walking stories. His beautiful creations. :) It's something to stop and think about at least.
When I found this quote the other day, that question immediately popped into my brain...I had forgotten. It is so easy to take it all for granted until it almost slips away, and then I grab it and hold on with all my heart. The way I should've been holding on the whole time, not only when the situation inspires it. God is sovereign and he has a plan, I believe it, but I don't believe that this means we can be lazy and just let life flow on around us. To me, knowing he is sovereign means that I am able to live fearlessly and love passionately. One of my all time favorite verses is in the back half of the book of John, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27) Later in the same book, Christ tells us to "Love one another as I have loved you." (John 15:12)
It seems like an easy task: "trust me, and share my love." Even though it isn't always that easy (which is stupid), it is always that simple. :)
So, God has presented me with the new challenge of taking care of my friendships, and loving the people I share them with as if they could vanish at any moment, because, in reality, they actually could....
You are so right, Tori Teel. We should take care of our friendships--not just among non-family, but family as well. Love your opening quote, by the way!
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