There are lots of great songs about friends - a little tune by Michael W. Smith comes to mind, as does James Taylor's seasonal serenade. Turn to literature and there are friendships for the ages: the classic Frodo and Sam ridding the world of evil; on a more contemporary note, Lena, Carmen, Tibby and Bridget, bonded before birth, mailing jeans all over the world. Television and the movies have made a few famous as well: who could forget the boys of Stand by Me or The Sandlot; and remember Kevin and Paul on The Wonder Years sticking together despite bullies and puberty?
I noticed as I tried to think of fictional friendships that made me go "Awww", many of them were male camaraderie. I don't know if that's just in the classic vein or if we girls are just too moody to stick to the storyline. I know I haven't focused on or cultivated friendships as much as I should have over the last few years. I've had my husband and kids to take care of and jobs and obligations - who has time for that frou-frou girlfriend stuff? Well, we all should!
Until recently, when through adverse circumstances I became much closer to a girlfriend, I had forgotten what it's like to talk on the phone for hours or hang out with someone who won't judge me if I order dessert - even someone who can drop in when my house looks like - well like we live in it - and I will actually let her in the door because she doesn't care about the dirt or the dishes. Not a casual friendship, but a deep friendship which allows us to be casual. This is what every woman needs to help her stay sane!
While thinking about friends I was looking through the bible for examples and most of them were men as well: David and Jonathon; Shadrach, Meshech and Abednigo; Jesus and John; again, not many women jumped out at me. Many of the women recorded in the bible who were close, or forced to be in close proximity to each other, bickered and fought. I suspect Mary Magdalene, the other Mary and some of the women who followed Jesus were quite close, but we aren't told about what their friendships were like.
Proverbs 17:17 says, "A friend loves at all times." A true friend does. Even if we feel like we don't have a friend to call on, we always have our best friend, Jesus. He definitely loves us at all times and talking to Him won't use up all our anytime minutes. But how wonderful when we have a friend who shares our love for Jesus. That is a true friend!