Girl's Best Friend: Reconnecting Is Good for the Soul

Storms don’t only bring clouds.  A storm can bring positive opportunities if you seek something good from it. Last week, New York City was hit by a snow storm in the middle of October. Many looked at it as a hindrance to their Saturday plans. For me, and one of my best sister-friends, it was a chance to reconnect and catch up. It was something that I didn’t realize I needed until we did it.

It’s no secret that I love my friends. I have been very blessed to encounter and be surrounded by some of the best people I think the world has to offer. I also pat myself on the back because I must be a good friend as I have been friends with most of them for 20-35 years. You can’t be too bad with that sort of friendship track record.

Although most of my friends and I have long standing friendships, I also have met some great new people in my life. Ironically, I tend to spend more time with the new people than I do with the old friends. It’s certainly not by conscious choice, but I do think there is a familiarity that comes with a 20-year friendship that doesn’t crave or require the constant interaction. No matter how long the time between visits, you always pick up where you left off.

When the storm started last week, I was downtown nearby one of my best sister-friend’s apartments who I’ve known for 35 plus years. It had been a minute since we’d seen each other so I sent a text to see if she and her husband were home. They responded, “Yes! Come over!” Thankfully, I was merely minutes away and didn’t have to deal with the weather too much.

Once I was there, it was as it always is – like home. I kicked off my shoes, poured a glass of wine and saddled up on the sofa. This was familiar because the last time we spent a day like this was unfortunately after 9/11. But, this occasion was nothing, but joyous because as much as I love my sister-friend, I love her husband a lot too. They both are super intelligent and super fun and I get super inspired when I am around them.

We then got to talking about how much my sister-friend and I don’t see each other on a regular basis. She’s always out with her “new” friends and I’m always out with mine. True, we have a bond that transcends mere clubbing and dinners. However, we started discussing why we had taken it for granted. Especially since our bond is so special and spirit-feeding to the both of us.

Quite frankly, we couldn’t come up with a reason why our in-person interactions were few and far between other than we were taking our friendship’s durability for granted. Moreover, it wasn’t just about face time, it was about the nurturing we get from each other when we’re around each other. There is no perspective like a friend who has known you and your family her entire life.

By the end of my day with my sister-friend and her husband, I felt rejuvenated and inspired to go back into the world and conquer the storms that we all face. We had turned what could’ve been a bad day into something that was positive and uplifting. We had relationships therapy, job therapy, friendship therapy, life therapy, etc. We worked on each other’s spirits in a way you can only do with someone who has known you that long (she’s been married to her husband for almost 13 years so I know him pretty well too).

More importantly, it taught me that I need to make a concerted effort to connect with my old friends more. There’s a reason why they’ve withstood the test of time when so many other people have come in and out of my life. Old friends, the good ones, get you to your core and nourish your soul in the same way an old pair of sweats makes you feel on a lazy Sunday afternoon.  

As you go about your business, I hope to continually remind you to take care of you. We give so much to others that we forget those simple things that feed and refresh our spirits. Maybe it’s time that you give yourself a boost by reconnecting with some dear old friends!