Friendship

Friendships are important to me, especially the friendships I have with the women I choose to be close with. There is something deeply grounding about these relationships. I believe friends are the family members we choose to walk through life with.

Some friendships last a lifetime. Other friends come into your life for a reason or a season. I have come to appreciate both. Each one brings something new. Each one teaches something. Each one leaves a mark.

My definition of friendship is simple. It is someone I can talk with openly and share the more intimate parts of my life with. Someone I can trust with my highs, my lows, my doubts and my questions. Someone who can sit with me in joy and in uncertainty without needing to fix anything and most importantly, without judgement.

When I was interviewed for my own podcast, one of the words I used to describe myself was friend. I didn’t choose it lightly. I like to think I am a good friend. Someone who keeps their word. Someone who shows up. Someone who can hold space for laughter, for tears and yes, sometimes for a juicy bit of gossip.

My friends call me the vault. They know what they share with me stays with me. There is a quiet responsibility in that and I hold it carefully. Trust is one of the most valuable things we can offer each other. The other is being able to listen with an open heart.

I enjoy my friendships. I value the conversations, the shared moments, the check-ins that say, I see you. And I welcome the opportunity to make new friends along life’s journey.

I carry the thought that strangers are simply friends waiting to be met. It is not my original thought, but it is one that has stayed with me. It shapes how I enter rooms, how I start conversations and how I remain open to connection.

Friendship is not about quantity. It is about presence. It is about listening. It is about choosing, again and again, to show up for each other in large and small meaningful ways.

Here are some questions you can consider as you think about friendships throughout April.

• Who is your best friend? How long have you known each other? What’s one cool thing about your best friend?

• What have your friendships taught you about yourself?

• What do you value most in the friendships you have today?

• When was the last time you reached out to a friend just to check in?

• Are there friendships you need to nurture more intentionally?

• Are there friendships you may need to release with care?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on friendships. Drop me an email: aderonke@abwilsonconsulting.com