How can you patch a torn or punctured friendship? What is the recipe for strengthening a bond between buddies, without damage to marriages, children, jobs, and such? What is a friend? How does one define the extent of friendship?
There are individuals who have come across my path and made a lasting impression on my life. Many I called friends and yet I haven't seen or spoken to them in over twenty years. There are a small number of folks I have attempted to reconnect with whether they be college or high school friends, and for a multitude of reasons the reconnect never happened.
So now I sit, a half century old with an ex-wife, wife and kids from late twenties to grade school and my sweetie and I have talked a lot about our lack of friends. No couples to hang out with, go out with, invite over for a meal and a relaxing evening. The funny (weird) part of the story is that we as a family are involved in so many different things, and we can't ever find even one couple or other family to hang with. Church, Work, our school, and the kids school, PTSA, Little League, Dance, AYSO, and Pop Warner are all places to find folks for friendships.
David wrote in the Psalms 22 that "Iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the favor of his friend." Jesus parable about the man who had company unexpectedly drop in and he went to local friends to borrow food, receiving a rather negative response. Asking, regardless of the inhibitions or expected reply is the key to that lesson. Other Bible references to friends are in the negative, as in worldly influences taking focus from God.
The question is still how do I restore a friendship, or build one that is meaningful?
