No.....no....no...I promise if you stick with me you will see exactly where this is going! And you might even enjoy the trip!
So as you may know, last week I decided (with wise advice from a friend) that I was going to post my letter "Q" post despite the fact that our BlogHop was on letter "T". (In case you missed that awesome word...CLICK HERE!) Which in turn led to this wonderful quandary (oooo....look another Q word...before I move on!) of S,T,U....
If you know my brain at all, you know that I immediately had this thought in my head:
"S...T...U... Stu....the cockatoo is new at the zoo" WHAT???? How in the world does someone's brain come up with that phrase when doing a BlogHop and what in the world does it have to do with the letter "U" (which by the way IS the letter we are on this week!)
Well, I am a quasi-Big Bang Theory fan (hehehehe...there's that pesky letter "Q" again) How many of you have seen this episode? Here's the clip!!
Sheldon's dilemma in this clip...wanting to know how to make new friends...is one we all struggle with at some time or another in our lives, yes, even as adults we do. So how does an adult go about making (age-appropriate) friends? After all I would hope I'd have a friend like Leonard who would help shoo me away from something that could be deemed sketchy, in my innocent brain! ;)
I thought about being silly & posting something a little off beat, but then I thought about it a little bit more in light of what my blog is about...Relationships. And I thought better of "mocking" a real issue when relationships are so important to me. So I did a little digging. (that internet...it is a plethora of information)
Like this wikihow with pictures: Make-Friends (little bit anime in style, but good stuff nonetheless)
or this one from HelpGuide: How to Make Friends (This is a great albeit long article that I will be going back to read in full...it acknowledges how social media has "changed" the definition of friend...and why it's important we understand the difference between acquaintances & close friends, it addresses Unhealthy friendship & what makes a good friend, without any anime pictures though)
Lastly, from Succeed Socially: How to Make Friends and Get a Social Life (this one seems to have ZERO pictures and is pretty long too, but seemed to be pretty on par!)
Obviously, making new friends starts with a smile & an approachable demeanor to others. If I am sulky faced, I will most likely attract more sulky-faced people. Something I don't necessarily want in my close friend space. Make yourself available to make friends-in other words...get out & spend time face to face with people. Whatever you do, don't get stuck in Sheldon's infinite loop in his Friendship Algorithm...seen below! Enjoy the chuckle...I know I do. And if you do get stuck, I hope you have a friend like Howard who inserts a loop counter for you.
As for me personally, below is probably the BEST (besides Jesus' words recorded by Luke..."Do to others as you would have them do unto you.") I've ever read about Friendship & TRUE Friendship (which you will notice starts with a "T"!!).
It is written by Sheri Rose Shepherd in her book His Princess: Love Letters from Your King (that's a link in case you missed it!) Entitled: Let Me Build a True Friendship. It may be addressed to a princess, but I am certain that it can be addressed just as easily to a prince :)
"My Princess,
I want you to look for a true friend-not just any friend. Find someone who brings out the best in you-a girlfriend who is a gift from Me. My love, it takes time to build a strong foundation with a true friend, so choose your tools wisely.
The first tool you'll need is Transparency...the ability to see within each other's heart-your strengths and weaknesses.
The next tool is Truth. I am the way, the truth, and the life for you. You will discover the rewards of real friendships when you speak truth and bring refreshing words of encouragement to each other.
Finally, your friendship will need to be sealed in love, girded with Trust, and encircled with prayer. Remember, My princess, you must become the kind of friend you desire to have.
Love,
Your King and True Friend"
The first tool you'll need is Transparency...the ability to see within each other's heart-your strengths and weaknesses.
The next tool is Truth. I am the way, the truth, and the life for you. You will discover the rewards of real friendships when you speak truth and bring refreshing words of encouragement to each other.
Finally, your friendship will need to be sealed in love, girded with Trust, and encircled with prayer. Remember, My princess, you must become the kind of friend you desire to have.
Love,
Your King and True Friend"
"Some friends don't help, but a true friend is closer than your own family."
~Proverbs 18:24, CEV~
And with that I say this....
TADA! S,T,U....Friendship! lol
I hope you enjoyed this little journey with me & maybe we even learned some things about friendships & relationships today! Have a fabulous weekend and maybe start making a new friend :)P.S. I actually was able to cover all 3 missed letters in key parts of this post...can you find them all?
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What is a blog hop?
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This list will close in 3 days, 13 hrs, 16 min (3/2/2015 11:59 PM North America - Central Standard Time)
What is a blog hop?
Get the code here... Linky Tools | Linky Blog 2013