The effects of true friendship

"Grow old along with me.  The best is yet to be."
 
This is a phrase that has hung in the home of my maternal grandparents throughout their marriage year after year.  Just last week, these same grandparents of mine celebrated their sixtieth anniversary, a milestone for which they were able to reflect on the six decades they have spent together.  Me being not yet twenty, I find it hard to imagine even being sixty years old, let alone spending all those years with someone in marriage.  Yet both have continued to hold onto each other, offering encouragement and finding joy in all stages of life.  How have they done it?  Other than the passage of time, I can see how their genuine friendship with one another has played a large role in their irreplaceable life together.

Though many young adults in their early 20s (namely college students) are likely not ready for marriage just yet, the principle of friendship plays a direct role in all of our lives.  As a result, friendships can enhance our quality of life significantly.  Yet friendships are not to be one-sided; though we personally may gain the benefits of having friends, we are to reciprocate attributes like kindness, patience, and faithfulness so that person may also gain the benefits of being encouraged by a true friend.

When this occurs, both individuals will likely be more positive and willing to take on challenges, knowing they are not alone in their endeavors.  According to an article by Jessica Cumberbatch titled "Friends with Benefits:  How Pals Keep You Healthy," a good friend will better your life experiences through motivation, support, and accountability.  Whether it's through exercise, eating habits, or family issues, there are certainly benefits involved.  Simply put, things just seem easier when you've got the support of a friend.

In addition to the social pluses of close friendships, there are also researched health benefits to these relationships. If you sit down and think about it, this makes perfect sense.  For instance, I find it much easier to go for a Saturday morning run with a friend than by myself, and as a result I am more likely to stay in better shape by exercising regularly and keeping my heart healthy.  Even in other types of situations, risks such as high blood pressure, obesity, and smoking can be largely avoided when friendships are an essential part of a person's life, which is made evident in Cumberbatch's article.  But the health benefits don't stop there.  As found in a New York Times article written by Tara Parker-Pope and provided by Harvard researchers, solid social networks can even impact a person's brain health the older he or she gets in life.  Even something as simple as a cold can be avoided through relationships due to the lower stress levels they may cause.

Though you, as a reader, have probably long known that friendships are beneficial, it's always good to be reminded of the truths that come with having someone to call your friend.  But instead of being reminded and then moving on, think about how your friendships have helped you in your own life.  What would some of your experiences have looked like without those you depended on for encouragement? 

Though we don't realize it, I think we at times tend to overlook the roles our friends play, but they truly do make a difference, even if in small ways.  Karen A. Roberto, Virginia Tech director of the Center for Gerontology and contributor to Parker-Pope's article, seems to agree when she says, "Friendship is an undervalued resource … friends (simply) make your life better."  After seeing the good that can come from this thing called friendship, especially in the example of my grandparents, I find it hard to believe that anyone would want to argue with a statement like that.