Random Thoughts About Friendships

As the holidays draw near, I've been thinking about all the friends I've had through the years. I grew up in a military family that moved every two to three years, so most of my childhood pals are scattered all over the world. Some I've maintained contact with, and Facebook and Twitter have reconnected me with even more of them. I enjoy seeing pictures of my childhood and college friends as they've matured and seasoned with time.

Writing stories set in the fictional town of Bloomfield for B&H reminds me of the value of friends. I've become very close to all the other seven authors - Gail Sattler, Kathi Macias, Martha Rogers, Trish Perry, Miralee Ferrell, Jenness Walker, and Tracy Bowen - as we designed our town, developed our characters, and started writing our stories.

My friend Cherie Burbach is the Friendship Guide at About.com, and she has written quite a few articles about the topic of friendship. She also has some fun quotes on the topic that I enjoy reading.

Here are a few of my favorites:
Betty Ford - Helping a friend
C.S. Lewis - Calling Someone a Friend
Mark Twain - Joy of Friends
Pam Brown - Nurturing Friendship


Photo courtesy of Diggerdanno on Morguefule.com

Value of Good Friends

As the years have passed, I’ve gone back to valuing friendships as much as I did when I was a child. Not only does a good friend provide the support we all need, they’re fun and offer a perspective we may not have thought of. If you have a good friend, you’re never alone.

One of my very good friends, Cherie Burbach is the friendship guide on About.com. When I mentioned that I would love to be a guide, she’s the person who encouraged me to try out.

Here are some of her articles on friendship:

10 Ways to Have More Friends

Make Your Friendship a Safe Place

Making Friends if You Are an Introvert

Connect With People Through New Activities

Take the High Road

Cherie clearly knows what it takes to be a good friend. Follow her blog on About.com: Cherie Burbach.

The Art of Friendship

Whether you live in the charming town of Bloomfield or a city as big as New York or Chicago, you probably have a small circle of close friends and a wider circle of acquaintances who can turn into close friends as you get to know them better. This can be challenging if you haven't learned some basic friendship skills, so head on over to Cherie Burbach's pages and read her articles on on About.com.

Articles about friendship:
• Benefits of Positive Friends
• Surprising Ways Friendship Helps You
• 10 Ways to Have More Friends
• How to Get a Variety of Friends