Discovering True Friendship: My Personal Journey
After many years of searching and finding the true meaning of friendship, I realized I had found it when I met my dearest friend at the age of fourteen at a church youth event. She’s possibly one of the most joyful and bubbly people I’ve ever met.
She radiates with such glee, and you can’t help but feel lighter when she’s around.
She’s always the first to go up to someone new and strike up a conversation with them, making sure they feel comfortable. During that event, all of us had to describe Malaysia in one word, and I still remember the words she shared until today. It has become our inside joke, and we always laugh when we reminisce about the past and our first impressions of one another.
When Friendship Began With Chaos and Laughter
We became good friends quickly, partly because we were almost always the youngest ones in whichever group setting that we were part of. We got to know each other better through the different conversations that we had.
Our conversations can be chaotic, because we spark each other’s thoughts, and we end up forgetting what we were talking about in the first place. Then, five minutes later, she would go, “Ah yes, my unfinished thought” and both of us would burst into laughter because of how often that happens.
How We Shaped Each Other’s Worlds
We come from different backgrounds, so it’s always a surprise whenever we find out something new about each other that we hadn’t thought of before. After eight years of friendship, we still have our occasional, “Wait, what?” moments, still surprised by how much more alike we are in our personalities and interests than we first thought.
Our different experiences have made our conversations even more fruitful as we get to widen our perspectives on different things. Both of us are serving in sports ministry, and I love that I’m able to serve God with her.
We have witnessed how God has molded and shaped us through serving Him and His people. She’s also one of the most gifted people I’ve had the privilege of knowing, and it’s always a proud feeling to be able to call her my friend. Every time I see her perform on stage, I’m just so in awe of the talent that God has given her. My prayer is that she will continue to grow in the gifts that God has for her life.
Having her as a friend has opened my eyes to what friendship is like and has helped me grow as a person.
We don’t chat every day, nor do we see each other every day, but each time we meet, we would just give each other a tight hug. I used to hate hugs but she’s one of the few people I would willingly hug and enjoy hugging. She’s always ready to encourage and support me in all that I do.
Unwavering Support in Every Step
I remember when we used to go hiking back in the day. I was always the last person because I got tired easily, but my dear friend would always be waiting for me patiently no matter how slow I was, and would always be there to lend me a hand (literally) when I was afraid that I would lose balance while hiking. I’m always thankful to her for being not just a good friend, but a good support as well.
She’s always ready to answer any questions I have, explaining things in a way I can understand without making me feel stupid or ridiculous for asking.
In the journey of sports ministry, there have been many times when I wanted to give up, but she was always there to comfort me and pray for me when things got hard.
Letters From a True Friend
Another thing I’ve always cherished about our friendship is her handwritten letters. It’s always a heartwarming feeling whenever I receive one from her because it’s always full of encouragement and deep thoughts that make me love our friendship even more.
Even after years, I still keep the different letters and notes she’s given me and read them occasionally when I need a boost of encouragement or am feeling sentimental about the past.
Guiding Each Other on the Right Path
After many years of being friends, I’ve learned that being friends does not mean that you condone what the other person does, even if it’s something wrong. It’s about having that accountability and openness to correct one another to steer us back onto the right path when we’re straying from the path.
That’s what I appreciate about our friendship—that we are real because we love one another and want what’s best for each other. I love that we are able to have deep conversations and offer advice to one another based on our different experiences and what we’ve learned throughout life.
Not only that, but whenever I open up about something, she listens without judgment. I used to struggle with opening up in the past, afraid that I would look weak for crying or for being too emotional.
But with her, I always felt safe to share my thoughts and flaws, even if it ended up with me bursting into tears because she wouldn’t embarrass me or make me feel weak for crying. This helped me to express my feelings and embrace vulnerability, knowing that I have someone who accepts the emotional person I am.
True Friendship Is a Sisterhood in Christ
We’ve watched each other grow up, from being teenagers to entering adulthood together, and I look forward to being able to journey in life with her and celebrate even more milestones together!
The more we experience together, the deeper our bond grows, and I know God has big plans for both of us. I’m excited to see where life takes us and I know I’m never alone on this journey because God has blessed me with her in my life.
To me, she’s more than a friend; she’s a sister—a sister in Christ. I’m so grateful to have her in my life and for how we are able to support one another in our faith.
