Hey Friend, It’s Friendship Day
Beginning in 1919, Hallmark needed a reason to send greeting cards, and thus Friendship Day was established. While the American holiday died out in 1940, friendship would live on, as the United Nations declared it an International Holiday in 2011. Though the holiday is celebrated on different days in different countries, the United States celebrates it on the first Sunday of August.
Friends come into our lives at various times. We have friends from our childhood, church, school, work, and those we’ve connected with through mutual interests. Sometimes, with all that happens in life, some friends fall by the wayside, and we forget to take the time to connect with them. Let this be a day to rekindle those special friendships that God has blessed us with.
Throw a Themed Get-Together
Among friends, sometimes there is a common interest that binds you all together, be it a sport, a TV series, a book series or an activity. For instance, if your group of friends all love gardening or cooking, base the get-together around that. Really get into it, maybe decorate the house a little with themed items and spend the afternoon perusing the internet for themed ideas or projects. If the theme is more movie or book related, you can always dress up and do activities like the characters in the series. Who said you can’t throw a costume party in August?
Connect from Afar
If your friends are not local, set up a phone call or webcam session every week to regularly stay up to date. If there’s a book or Netflix series you are all interested in, you can read or watch during the week and then discuss it each time you talk as a way to keep in touch.
Make New Friends
Have you ever had an experience where you meet someone and just clicked, or you were quickly amazed to find how much you have in common? Kindred spirits are not as hard to find as you think. However, sometimes it takes getting out of your comfort zone to discover those unique connections you otherwise might miss by playing it “safe.” You’d be surprised to find that there’s a group of people out there getting together and doing what you love. Meet those kindred spirits and see what connections might come. Visit to Meetup.com to find what groups are meeting in your area, or start a “Meetup” group yourself!
If making friends is difficult for you, that’s okay. Some people connect better with children, seniors or even animals. Just be open to the opportunities God presents to you.
A good friend is hard to find, so it’s critical that we keep and nourish old and new friendships. As friends, we support each other through the good and bad times. Friendship is the epitome of give and take action. When we know we are not alone in our lives, it makes the hardest things seem possible. Let’s remember to celebrate and rejoice with our friends who make life all the better because they exist.