I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

Oprah Winfrey once said, “Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.” These are a few of my friends (plus a photo bomber) who would not just climb on the bus with me, they would find it hilarious and turn it into a fun-filled adventure to the next party!

Friendships come in all types—from intimate, life-long, secret-knowing soul mates to what I call second- and third-ring friends: those who are our friends because they haven’t been introduced to our skeletons and our failings! Ha! Equally important, it matters not what success we’ve achieved. These are the friends who we often make in the latter part of our lives whom we love and love us for who we are right now in this moment.

I have found these are the friends who show up when I need an ear to problem solve; they ‘bring the party’ when I need support (even at a fund-raising event) and, perhaps, most importantly, they show up to dispense joy. Pure joy and raucous laughter without strings attached; without the demand of shared ideology or religion; and, without gossip, grumbling or judgement.

As I mentioned last week, Epicurus had a few solid observations. Another I can ascribe to:

“Of all the things that wisdom provides for living one’s entire life in happiness, the greatest by far is the possession of friendship.”

Amen to that.