Photo: Contributed - (Flickr user, jackberry)

True friends are one of the gifts we receive as we go through life.   They listen, they care, they call or visit when no one else will and they accept us for who we are, warts and all.  Friendship is a balance, sometimes one side is heavier with need than the other; but then the scales adjust and it is reciprocated.

It is a known fact that having and being a good friend is very important in life.  Most challenges and stressful situations can be overcome if someone is there to soften the fall, help you get up, listen and assure you that you are not going crazy, tell you that you are valuable, compliment you on being you and generally be kind and gentle toward you. Their words and actions go a long way to help you to feel worthwhile as a human being. 

Friendship is a self-esteem builder and can be a stress reliever as well.  As Henry Ford once said, "My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me."  

In today's seemingly speeded up world, we don’t seem to have as much time to nurture friendships.  We are all rushing from one place to another and not taking the time to notice our fellow human being.  No wonder we feel stressed, we are missing an important ingredient - friendly, warm, supportive human interaction. 

That wonderful and very valuable time where we stop using our working brain and switch to our “hey, how ya doin?” brain...and allow ourselves to wind down and connect to someone else with our heart.

For me, friendship is an important part of Christmas.  It’s about connecting with friends and family and maybe reaching out to include those you know who may not have families.  We can give the powerful gift of self on a daily basis.  We can make time in our busy schedules for another human being.  It can make a difference between a happy holiday season and one that is filled with loneliness.

Have you got a friend you haven’t connected with for a while?  Stop what you’re doing and call them.  Give them the gift of friendship this Christmas and promise yourself that you’ll continue to do this in 2012. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!