Friends are amazing people.  We all need friends and we all need to be a friend.

Since July 25th I have had friends create a support system for me.  In this instance I’m also including my brother as a friend and I have made a new friend who, despite all the circumstances, has been amazing.

I have seen many friends that I haven’t seen for a while and everyone is understanding and patient with me as I traverse a difficult time of my life.

We all need friends like these.  Whether it’s a he or she, whether we’ve known them for 20 years or 20 days, it doesn’t matter.

But we also need to be those friends.  Not only should we just be the needy it’s good for our souls to be the needed as well.

I write several posts ago about our souls being at different levels and moving up levels as we get older and, ultimately, wiser.  Our friends change over that time because they don’t grow at the same rate.  It doesn’t mean that they won’t catch up and come back into our lives but that is all determined by what is happening in their lives.

What we experience in life is different… deaths, illness, moves, changes… and it’s not just what we experience but it’s HOW we deal with it.  A friend on Facebook posted a quote by Jim Carrey about depression and that it’s legitimate but if we don’t look after ourselves and surround ourselves with support then we have no chance.  I saw a huge increase in the number of depression diagnoses in family practice and I often wanted to tell patients to suck it up. I know that sounds cruel and it’s not intended to be cruel.

We all experience times of depression, low mood, whatever you want to call it.  But it’s the view from when you’re down there.  I have felt incredibly depressed before but I didn’t run to my doctor.  I have those friends who I’m able to reach out to.  Sometimes all we need to hear is that what we feel is normal and to get out and walk, or get some sunshine.  Sometimes we just need to seek out some professional counseling, someone who can ask the right questions.

But it doesn’t mean we’re clinically depressed and require medication for it.  If someone suffers a loss… which can be anything… our souls, bodies and minds taking a kicking.  Sometimes that can spiral into a clinical depression but it’s seeking out the right signs.

When we’re having a good day/week/month/year that’s when we can be the friend to someone else who is going through a tough time.  That’s when we can listen and give some advice and help that person find solid ground again.

So in these last six weeks that’s what I’ve had around me and I have appreciated it so much.  The support, the ability to share my emotions and thoughts and not judge me for them.  I know that not everything makes sense to everyone and I know that some people won’t agree with what has happened but, as I’ve also written, I feel like I’m in a God Bubble right now and everything that is happening is happening for a reason and how can I not go with that?