Once upon a time there were two friends who became sisters.

“When we honestly ask ourselves
which person in our lives mean the most to us,
we often find that it is those who,
instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures,
have chosen rather to share our pain
and touch our wounds
with a warm and tender hand.
The friend who can be silent with us
in a moment of despair or confusion,
who can stay with us
in an hour of grief and bereavement,
who can tolerate not knowing,
not curing,
not healing
and face with us
the reality of our powerlessness,
that is a friend who cares.”
― Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Road to Daybreak: A Spiritual Journey

How many of us are fortunate enough to have a friend of this description?
I think if we do we are merely the recipient of G-d's blessing.
Our friendships are the most valuable relationships we have.
We can talk to our friends in confidence about things we wouldn't discuss with our families.
They keep us going when we sometimes feel we have no strength to carry on.
The speaker (head of psychiatry at Stanford) said, 
among other things, 
that one of the best things that a man could do for his health is to be married to a woman 
whereas for a woman, 
one of the best things she could do for her health 
was to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends.
Women connect with each other differently.  
They provide support systems that help each other to deal with stress and difficult life experiences.
Friendship has a bigger impact on our psychological well-being than family relationships.
I write this blog to share my thoughts on life through scrapbooking.
What I am sharing now is very close to my heart.
I have a friend who is brilliant, beautiful and wise.
How did I get so lucky? 
I have no idea.
Now I am about to get even luckier.
My best friend is about to become my family.
After next week 
my parents will be my best friends daughter's grandparents.
For us to be forever connected not only by choice
but by blood.
This is one of the the greater gifts in my life.
There have been numerous studies that prove that friendships have an effect on longevity.
I hope and pray that we will live well in to old age together.
L'chaim!
To health, family and friendship.

So many years...
So many memories...

This one is from 8 years ago!

It may be a very simple layout
but the message is clear...
If you're not a scrapbooker you can take a different lesson here.
Nurture your friendships.
Reach out to one of your friends today and tell her you love her.
Send her a text.
Bring her a flower.
Bake her a cake.
Just because.
Because you love her.
Because you love yourself.
And friends are good for your health!