friends become our chosen family

Friendship has become the solidifying mould that has kept people close for many years through some of the hardest and emotionally draining fights our society has faced such as through poverty, violence and the abuse of human rights and equality.
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The International Day of Friendship was founded in 2011 by the UN General Assembly whos main ideologies were that friendship was something to be acclaimed and shared between countries, cultures and individuals. It is celebrated on the 30th July every year and is said to be a day which places emphasis on the young people of the world like yourselves who could one day be our future leaders and presidents, for example. It is a day to be celebrated with the likes of activities being present to contribute to the idea of community within civilizations and to repair misunderstandings and have reconciliations. Friendship to human beings is seen as a noble and valuable sentiment that adds to life, to cherish the moments with those dear to them and to enjoy every experience that is given to them. 

Having friendships is extremely important for leading a healthy, happy life. Without having friends around us, we can feel lonely and helpless as in some situations having the surrounding arms of friends can really lift us up and bring us joy. Friendship knows no boundaries, it is universal and it can bring different cultures, religions and backgrounds together to form a special bond which could last forever. 

My experience with friendships have been mixed for my 19 years of life. I can still remember my best friend in Nursery, at the time I thought she was the best person ever, it was all new, we were playing with dolls and reading books to each other, it was special- then she moved away when we got to Infant School, it broke my heart, that was the first time I felt like my first ever proper friend had been taken away from me. The sad thing is to this day, I have never seen her again and only spoken to her twice. 
Friends can be brought into our lives for only a few years and may never return and that IS okay, but then you get the friends who are forever and they are the most important.
I have a friend who I have known the majority of my life and our friendship is still as strong as it’s ever been today; we’re celebrating our 15th year of friendship this year which is truly incredible! Even through the little fights and arguments we have had, we have always come out stronger and better afterwards, cherishing our memories and knowing that our friendship is so much more than losing it over something stupid. I feel incredibly lucky to have her in my life, we have been there for each other through the up’s and the down’s and growing up together has been such an incredible journey, and I know that going into our adulthood it will be the same. 

A true friend will support, encourage and accept us for who we are regardless of what our name is, how we look or how we sound. They bring a kind of fulfillment into our lives and they expect nothing but love from us, as well as, having the good, the bad and the ugly. Best friends go through it all. If you have this person in your life, cherish them, hold them, tell them how important they are to you because some people around the globe do not have this and only dream of having that kind of friendship, they yearn for it. You are so lucky if you have that. 

Sometimes, we will wish that our friends are our family instead of our blood relatives. Sometimes you may feel judged, misunderstood or humiliated by your family, but friends can fill this void and give you the opportunity to have a safe place to go to when you’re feeling this way, we can be fixed by our friends metaphorically speaking, they are our lifeline and you should choose them wisely. 

• “The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof.”

• “Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light.”

•    “A good friend is my greatest relation.”

All my love,
Chloe x