Love Between Friends
by Catherine Gonzalez
Friendship is one of God's greatest gifts to human kind. The ability to form strong, close bonds to other human beings that reward us with internal happiness is what makes us unique in the world. Throughout the course of our lives, we have been given the opportunity to meet individuals who have had an immense impact on our lives. As we celebrate love during this month, we should focus on the deep, sincere and unbreakable love between true friends.
I have always been amazed at how people from completely different backgrounds and worlds can come together to become friends. I truly believe friendships can overcome any obstacles or barriers, being cultural or geographic. The most important ingredients for a long-lasting friend are trust, acceptance, love and respect. I still maintain in contact with some of my friends I know since kindergarden from Puerto Rico regardless of the distance between us . In college, I've had the opportunity to meet people from very different parts of the world and establish bonds of friendship. They live in places as different as Mexico, Iowa, Canada and North Carolina among others.
My friends have also influenced me in ways that I will always remember. I have even become a better student with the help of one of my best friends. They are there when I need a helping hand or when I need to cope with some of the hardships of life. This is why I am so grateful for the friends God has given me the opportunity to meet. They have symbolized a home away from home, a support structure I can always count on. I know I can cry, laugh, sing or shout around them without feeling uncomfortable or rejected.
We should strive to construct healthy relationships in our daily lives. We should also give thanks for those friends who are already in our lives and make us so much happier. During this month of February-the month of love- lets try to become better friends by loving and respecting the people around us.