A new world order.

What is friendship? A few years ago a good friend of mine gave me a refrigerator magnet that states:

“Friendship is when you know everything about someone and love them anyway.”

That seems like a good definition to me and I have embraced that concept many times especially when I have been challenged by the actions of others in my life. Having a foundation of love is a key element to enjoying the relationships I cultivate. But I think acceptance of someone can be taken one step further.

What if the refrigerator magnet stated:

“Friendship is uplifting the people and relationships in our lives through our actions towards and language”

Now I have been told in the past that I am naïve and gullible for several different reasons which are really not my concern at this point. Because no matter how naïve or gullible one might believe I am, I am going to do my best to see the best in them. Finding the beauty in another person can truly be an amazing journey of joy, laughter, admiration and inner peace.

I am 37 years old and every day I struggle with seeing the faults in this world. I see the negative news, I witness the driver cut me off on the street, I am greeted by the stoic grump at the bagel shop and the customer service rep from the bank is rude and annoyed by my inability to understand why I am getting an extra charge on my account this month. One of my closest friends tells me I am fat while another informs me that I need to get serious about my career. On some days I get so frustrated by the interactions around me that I just want to run away and be left alone. But my real frustration comes from the simple concept that I believe we as people should hold the intention to uplift another through our actions and language toward another.

I know my idea for a refrigerator magnet may sound hokey. But imagine a world in which we not only did our best to uplift our friends but we did our best to uplift everyone we come in contact with throughout the day. Smiling to the receptionist at the bank, yielding to traffic on the street, showing everyone the patience, dignity and respect that you would give yourself?

I know my ideals are lofty and I have certainly not mastered the art of living life in such a gracious and caring way. I get grumpy, moody, irritated and my feelings get hurt and I am sure I have hurt others too. But I am becoming more conscious and mindful of my actions and behaviors and doing my best to frame my life with a loving, supportive theme to the best of my ability no matter what happens around me.

So perhaps the idea of friendship meaning that you know everything about someone and you love them anyway can go beyond our inner circle of life. Perhaps we may not know everything about someone, but can’t we lift them up with our actions anyway? Can’t we acknowledge the inner beauty in another with the same ease that we see the negative? Can’t we open our eyes to see how amazing someone is and embrace that part of that, talk about that part of them, uplift the good parts in them?

I am going to do my best to embrace the beauty in others including myself.

A little lovin’ goes a long way.