I try to avoid telling you what to do or what to be like. Sometimes I fail and I can’t help myself, I’m only human. One thing I do encourage you to do, though, is to search for your own answers. Sometimes you need to put time aside to think about that. Sometimes it helps for you to start with someone else’s answers and compare them with your own thoughts.
I’ve been thinking about friendship. How do you know if you are being a good friend to others? How can you spot someone who is being a good friend to you?
I’ve come up with a list of what I think. These are in no particular order. See if you can come up with your own and compare it with mine:
- Remember that they are their own person – don’t try to turn them into you, it will only frustrate you. What a boring world it would be if we were all the same.
- Respect their opinions, likes and dislikes. You don’t have to agree with them to respect them. Everyone is entitled to their own views.
- See their faults and love them anyway.
- Give freely without expecting anything in return (apart from respect).
- Celebrate their successes and be with them to help them through their failures.
- Help them to grow. Help them to see opportunities that might help them to become the person they want to be (not the person that you want them to be remember!).
- Be honest – even when it is hard. But be gentle about it.
- Be yourself.
- Listen – and I mean listen with your heart, not just your ears.
- Have fun, dream and enjoy the journey together.
- Be there always – even when you are apart
- Forgive, quickly and completely.
As your mother, I hope that you feel I do these things for you too. I try my best.