Bonds That Transform: Friendship, Reflection, and the power of Life Experiences

Lilian Corrêa
28 de jan. de 2024
3 min de leitura

Atualizado: há 3 dias

A few days ago, I received a WhatsApp message from someone I’ve known for over ten years — someone with whom I share a bond marked by genuine affection and mutual respect.

Over the years, I’ve witnessed many phases of her journey, always offering encouragement and support during challenging times. Recently, she experienced the loss of her father — a relationship that had been strained and eventually cut off.

Our conversation started with dream interpretations (I truly believe dreams are powerful messengers). She wanted to share one with me — in fact, I had even appeared in a previous one. I could sense she was filled with doubts and uncertainties about life and her path. On top of her father’s passing, she had also gone through the end of a long-term relationship. So, this phase of her life has been marked by intense change.

At one point during our exchange, she asked me:“Are you my friend?”

I paused for a few seconds and went silent (in writing), unsure of how to answer or even what she was thinking about our relationship. I didn’t take it negatively, but suddenly, the certainty I had that she considered me a friend turned into doubt — and I reflected on how to respond.

My answer was:

“Well, I consider a friend to be someone who is honest with me and somehow helps me grow — someone who makes me think instead of giving me ready-made answers or criticizing my choices and decisions. I believe I’m like that with you, so from my side, yes — I consider myself your friend.Now, I don’t know what you think about that, haha.”

Her reply was:

“I don’t know… you feel like more than a friend to me, like family, almost.Sorry if I didn’t express myself well.”

The conversation went in new directions, and I ended up sharing some of the lessons I’ve learned — and continue learning — over the years.

Throughout life, every person who enters or exits our path teaches us, transforms us, and touches us in unique ways. Those who leave, leave a mark. Those who stay, help us move forward. And if we try to categorize people as either “good” or “bad,” I’d say that ALL of them are important in our journey.

If you can think of at least five people who’ve been in your life for 10 years or more — people you can count on, even from afar — then it’s worth recognizing that you do have a friend… or five.

As for the ones who left or who we believe were “bad” to us — they’re not truly bad. They’re the ones who open our eyes to the world. They push us out of our comfort zones. They make us experience emotions like anger, shame, helplessness, and other intense feelings that seem to tear us apart from the inside. But ironically, those are the feelings that teach us the most.

And with every setback, hit, or heartbreak — no matter how painful — there’s always a lesson to be learned. And one thing is certain: if you learn to channel those emotions toward a comeback — without harming anyone — you’re one step closer to a great victory, maybe even the biggest project of your life.

Not to mention the indescribable feeling of overcoming something difficult and realizing your own strength. Yes, we are capable of anything we truly want — and our emotions are an inexhaustible source of power, especially when used for good. Like faith, they can move mountains.

And I can’t forget those people who’ve walked alongside us for years — or who “jumped on the moving train and came in through the window,” so to speak — those who seemed to appear out of nowhere, but somehow showed up at just the right moment to shake us up or offer support.

We’re all part of the living dance of human connection — influencing and inspiring others, whether we realize it or not.Yes, YOU are someone’s inspiration.And I believe that by sharing our experiences, we help others find themselves or discover better ways to deal with certain situations. In doing so, we leave a positive mark on the world — showing that we’re not dancing alone, nor dancing just for the sake of it.

😉

Thanks for reading! See you soon!