Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Friends Are Important

According to an article in the NYTimes.com on April 20, 2009, our friendships are incredibly important in our overall health. This quote comes directly from the article you can read in its entirety by clicking here.

“In general, the role of friendship in our lives isn’t terribly well appreciated,” said Rebecca G. Adams, a professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. “There is just scads of stuff on families and marriage, but very little on friendship. It baffles me. Friendship has a bigger impact on our psychological well-being than family relationships.”

Personally, I have friends from nearly every stage of my life, from as far back as elementary school, junior and senior high school, to college in Worthington, UC Berkeley and the University of Minnesota. I don't always keep in touch with some of them as much as I'd like, but from past experience, I know I can reach out to many of them with a phone call or an email, and we can pick up like we have never been apart.

With living in eight towns and going to school in five different districts before I was fourteen, I made a lot of friends at an early age. They come from many different backgrounds and I can count many people as friends, some going back more than forty-five years!


I have also made many friends with people from all areas of my adult life. I'm happy to say each one of those relationships has helped me to shape who I am. To site a quick example of that, in my recent hospitalization, I had visitors, emails and phone calls from friends from many stages of my life.
Please feel free to comment on how your friends have affected your life. I look forward to reading them.

Later,

Mike

3 comments:

Jools said...

Mikey
Friends are so important...it gives you a sense of having mattered in the world but the number of friends you have....and whether you see them often or not you know they are there!

I mean seriously, you were one of the most expensive dinner dates I ever had and I still think of you every time I see a Lobster!!!

tom brakke said...

To the point of your posting, it was great to talk to you this morning.

We always pick right up where we left off, no matter how long it has been. Our lives and stories are intertwined.

Sharon Hemmen said...

I,like you Mike have many friends.Not as many as you,but many.You,my fiend have touched my life like no other. I consider it an honor to be your friend.
Your prom date!! Sharon