Sunshine is blessed with the most wonderful best friend in the world (aside from her brother,who is her best friend, as well, but it's different). Sunshine and [H] have been friends since Sunshine was born. Literally. I have watched their friendship grow over the years and it amazes me. After spending the first five years of their lives seeing each other no less than once a week, I was worried when they had to split for Kindergarten. Then, I worried again when [H] moved further away. But, none of that weakened their friendship. The girls still get together at least once a month and it's like they have never been apart. [H] is part of our family. She always has been, but there's something deeper about it. All four of us in this family would do anything to help [H]. She went through a rough patch this year, and it hurt all of us that she had to deal with it. We made sure Sunshine and [H] saw each other a little more so that [H] would know there were people who loved her. Friendship like that is rare.
Yesterday, I realized that we have another group of friends who have the same deep connection with. [A] has been my friend for 9 years. She is a person I can always count on to be there for me, even if it's just to sit and say nothing with. I have always adored her children. Our children have always all gotten along. I would do anything to help out her family and I know she would do anything to help out mine. But yesterday, I saw something different with our kids. I saw that deep connection. Our kids would also do anything for each other. I'm not just talking about the girls sticking with each other or the boys sticking with each other. I'm talking about all of them, together. Both of my kids would do anything they could to help both of her kids. It's not just a hope that her kids feel the same, I know they would. It's how they treat each other. It's how they interact as a group. Our whole family sees it. My kids, throughout the years of knowing this family, have commented on how they have the same values as we do.
This all got me thinking about how we moved away from our core values over the past year. It's not that we have forgotten our values. It's more that we've forgotten how it feels to be with those who hold the same values and we need to get back to that. This summer, I will make a conscience effort to bring those who hold the values around more often and try to put a little distance between those who do not hold the same values. No, I'm not saying we're only going to be friends with people who are just like us. That's just ridiculous. What I'm saying is, I want my children to form stronger bonds with children who find the same things in life important.
The older I get, the more I realize how important it is to stick to your beliefs. I also realize that surrounding yourself with too many people who hold different beliefs actually makes you forget yourself a little and makes you someone you don't necessarily like. That's why I'm going to work so hard now for my children. With all the hard choices they have to make in life, I want them to have people one their side who hold the same things dear. I want them to see they are not alone in their beliefs. I want them to see that they don't have to change who they are for their friends. Strengthening this now will only help them later in life. It's time to go back to the start and let the future begin.