"i no doubt deserved my enemies,
but i don't believe i deserved my friends."
~walt whitman
well, this will probably be my last "things i am thankful for" post, as there are only two more nights in november after tonight. so between yesterday's and today's posts, i saved the best for last. yesterday was family. today is friends. i am oh, so thankful for my friends.but i don't believe i deserved my friends."
~walt whitman
under each one that i've photographed, i wrote one of the many things that i am specifically thankful for in her. although each expression is tailored to what that particular friend means to me, they really could all be interchangeable... any one of these descriptions could be placed on any one of these lovely ladies.
h,i'm thankful
for your giving and serving heart.
m,i'm thankful
for your contagious laugh and smile.
k,i'm thankful
for your creative soul.
s,i'm thankful
for your constant encouragement.
j,i'm thankful
for your gentle spirit.
a,i'm thankful
for your generosity and hospitality.
i remember realizing about five years ago that i needed more close girlfriends in my life. i did have three good friends who i would meet up with for breakfast every few months. and i had an automatic best friend in my twin. {she's "a" above.} but i knew i needed more than that as i thought about how much i wanted more gal pals in my life... not just to have as friends, but to be a friend to as well.
so i prayed for friends. then it was like the flood gates opened. not all at once, but over the next three years, i made so many wonderful girlfriends {many of them through my jobs }, and they were from all walks of life at all different ages. i can't even describe how much they've meant to me. they welcome me in their lives exactly the way i am. they each bring out different things in me. they each possess unique gifts and ways of blessing me. they all know me really well, and all want the best for me. i feel so honored and blessed to have every one of them -- so much so, that sometimes i can hardly believe i deserve such friends.
some of my friends are closer than others. but all are appreciated equally for what they are to me. for this expression of gratitude, i would not exclude a one from this group that i consider friends. but for the sake of brevity, i decided to only post photos of the six girls i am closest to -- the ones i have spent the most time with over the past year or two. {which is the reason i have photographs of them to post... i haven't been doing the photography thing for much more than a year, you see.} i'd have to say, each of these girls are like sisters to me. {well, the last one acutally is my sister.}
i'm so glad to have some treasured photos of these girls, and i hope to get many more in the years to come. not only are they all beautiful and talented, but they are all inspiring and uplifting -- two things i could really use in my life. i only hope i am as good a friend to them as they are to me.
so i prayed for friends. then it was like the flood gates opened. not all at once, but over the next three years, i made so many wonderful girlfriends {many of them through my jobs }, and they were from all walks of life at all different ages. i can't even describe how much they've meant to me. they welcome me in their lives exactly the way i am. they each bring out different things in me. they each possess unique gifts and ways of blessing me. they all know me really well, and all want the best for me. i feel so honored and blessed to have every one of them -- so much so, that sometimes i can hardly believe i deserve such friends.
some of my friends are closer than others. but all are appreciated equally for what they are to me. for this expression of gratitude, i would not exclude a one from this group that i consider friends. but for the sake of brevity, i decided to only post photos of the six girls i am closest to -- the ones i have spent the most time with over the past year or two. {which is the reason i have photographs of them to post... i haven't been doing the photography thing for much more than a year, you see.} i'd have to say, each of these girls are like sisters to me. {well, the last one acutally is my sister.}
i'm so glad to have some treasured photos of these girls, and i hope to get many more in the years to come. not only are they all beautiful and talented, but they are all inspiring and uplifting -- two things i could really use in my life. i only hope i am as good a friend to them as they are to me.
"never shall i forget the days i spent with you.
continue to be my friend,
as you will always find me yours."
~ludwig von beethoven
continue to be my friend,
as you will always find me yours."
~ludwig von beethoven
13 comments:
i am so with you on this one. thank you so much for posting this today. i treasure each and every one of my girl friends...i have been blessed with some wonderful ladies who each add something unique and wonderful to my life. i'm going through something difficult right now in my life, and this hit the nail on the head for me right now. it helped me to see things just a little bit clearer. so, thank you! :) you are a pretty special person yourself.
<3
Lisa
Friends are a gift we give ourselves...and friends can be like family--I love that. Each friendship has it's special qualities which is a treasure. This is a delightful post, Georgia. :o)
What a beautiful post. The joy of friendship. What it gives us. What it allows us to give back. And you're right -- friends come in all ages, all types -- the only boundaries we create in friendships are the ones we put up ourselves. Removing those and allowing ourselves to know someone else and being known breaches all sorts of boundaries.
Cheers to friendship!
friends are a complete treasure and absolutely the family that we get to choose.
what a beautiful post of friendship. i love how you have posted a beautiful photo of each friend with their special attributes.
a beautiful post Georgia.
i am blessed with some amazing friends too and value them all though some sadly i do not see very often due to distance.... though they are always in my heart and in my thoughts.
you friends are beautiful!
ginny x
I think about this a lot: my lack of girlfriends. You are so fortunate to have so many good friends. All with great style, too! ;) Keep counting your blessings. Always.
What a great post!
a really great post!
This is a really wonderful post, Georgia, and a very nice tribute to your friends. I'm sorely lacking in friends - I have a couple of close friends, but I just never see them. I like the monthly breakfast idea.
ditto friend. I'm constantly reminded of your servant's heart and generously sharing of your creativity with us all. great post;)
I can't believe I missed this post the first time around! This is a wonderful post, Georgia. Love it. Two thumbs up. Friends like this are what every person needs, but it's not always easy to come by. You are so blessed, and I know you are a blessing to them too!
Beautiful post -- caused me to think of the women in my life that I love and treasure as well as a need I've been filling to add more friends to my circle. Thank you!
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