Truths: Is blood thicker than water?

Last night my husband and I were talking about some couples we know that are either divorcing or going through a hard time. Bill brought up how the one guy recently sold his fishing boat after the divorce – Bill said he thought it was because he didn’t need the excuse anymore… which meant that the guy was only fishing to get away from his wife – now that she was gone – he was free to enjoy life on the couch again.

That led us into a longer discussion about friendships and spending time with friends. My dear, sweet husband said that he doesn’t enjoy his fishing trips as much anymore because he would rather spend time with me. (He really did say that – I do know how lucky I am)

But, in turn, I felt I had to defend my time with my friends because I certainly don’t spend time with them just to get away from Bill. I love my husband and I love all the time we spend together, I really do.

However, my friends are very important to me – very important.

I can’t remember a time in my life when my friends weren’t there for me. Sure they have been around for the laughs and the good times – but above all else – they have been right beside me when times got tough.

I have been through a lot in my short 40 years on Earth. There are many times in my life that I am not proud of – moments that I would perhaps take back if I could. But my friends never judged me.

When I was getting divorced and the life I knew was falling apart around me – it was my friends above all else who held me together. They never let me down. They stood next to me, held my hand, wiped my tears and gave me a shoulder to lean on.

I don’t have any sisters but I have amazing girlfriends.

I have a few friends right now facing tough decisions and going through difficult situations…and I do everything I can to be there for them because I know how important having them was for me.

I think, as a culture, we don’t give friendships the merit they deserve. We are forced to include “family” in things like weddings and birthdays and graduations – often trumping friends due to space and yet, for people like me, it is our friends who have stood by us, who know us, who know what we love, what we hate and what we aspire to be.

The best birthday and Christmas gifts I have gotten have usually came from friends because they KNEW without asking what I wanted – what I liked.

My circle of close girlfriends is truly my extended family. They are the family I chose and the family I would go above and beyond to protect and to comfort.

Bill knows my gratitude for my friends, he knows that they have saved me and love me unconditionally when some of my family chose not to and he knows that my time spent with them is not to be thought of as time away from him – but instead time spent with my family…because for me, blood isn’t thicker than water.