How many times have they: Made us laugh when we felt like crying over a bad mistake? Made us feel loved when our boyfriends (or girlfriends) broke up with us? Gave us the courage to go back to school or to change careers? Like armor, good friends make us almost invincible, capable of warding off the blows life occasionally deals us. Because of their steadfastness, we see setbacks for what they are: temporary.
Because friends accept us for who we are, we gain the confidence to dream great dreams—and to make them real. Friends liven up our days with their twisted humor, their honest answers, and their ability to bear our gloating when we beat them at cards or tennis. We can even trust them with our most embarrassing secrets! What a relief it is for us to reveal our true selves to someone else!
It’s no wonder, then, that medical researchers have found that those who have friends tend to be happier, healthier, and live longer than those who do not. According to research studies, our brains are programmed to receive unexpected rewards and pleasures. Friendship is the foundation of many of these unexpected pleasures, such as a spontaneous game of racquetball, a spur-of-the moment decision to see a movie, and an outpouring of praise for something we did well. In fact, friendship has numerous physical and spiritual benefits.
Research confirms that having compassionate friends is beneficial for our psychological and spiritual well-being—and for physical health. So one can firmly conclude that a healthy lifestyle includes not only eating well, exercising, and avoiding tobacco but also having a circle of friends...FRIENDS make our world go round!
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