Today is Best Friends Day! Yes, this is an actual thing.
Best friends are often portrayed within a few norms. The romantic duo, the antagonistic/toxic relationship, co-dependent friends, and the very one-sided friendship where one person overinvests.
However, among the many things I think Hollywood often gets wrong is friendship. True friendship is something truly rare. It is a mature and wise relationship. It bolsters the confidence of both people. It makes both lives better. And yes, it can be truly painful and hard. However, much like many healthy relationships, it is meant to have the good and bad. As well as a time when that pain is validated.
There is no such thing as a perfect relationship. There is no love without pain. And there is no joy like true friendship. A friendship where two people mutually work together to be mutually kind and loving is also not always going to be good. There is respect for knowing the pain will happen and an act of compassion to simply be quiet in those moments.
In truth, I believe that friendship is not just one moment, emotion, or mindset. It is billions of little sometimes imperceivable actions, kindnesses, swift moments of anger, and so much more. It is the knowledge that when you wander, you have someone by your side even when alone. And when you go far beyond your expectations, you have an ally cheering for you, however quiet. This may make some think of love, and friendship may be love. For some, it may seem like bitterness, and sometimes it is. In truth it is so much more than just these words. But in some way, they are all truth.
R&H Creative Storytelling Circle 