New Year's Resolutions

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Image by Brigette Tohm via Unsplash
As a musician, every occasion in my life has a song to go with it.  New Year's Day means Auld Lang Syne will be ringing merrily in my ears. All day. On loop. It's a pretty strange song really, but it sure has a catchy tune!

Auld Lang Syne is a song I've never quite been able to figure out, not even with Google's help, but what little meaning I've been able to gather goes something like this: "don't let time separate friendships". That's it.

One tiny phrase sums up that entire song, but that tiny phrase has an important meaning. Friendships are valuable gifts and we should not take them for granted. The older I get, the more aware of that I become and the more valuable friendships are to me.

I must admit that as a traveling musician I am not always the best friend. More often than not, I am a terrible friend! I'm rarely in the same place for more than one or two weeks, including my hometown. Many of my friends, I only see for a few hours every year and that's not usually conducive to good conversation. The instability of my lifestyle teaches me to value friendships more and more, but it also makes it very hard to improve them.

Sadly, I think this is typical of more than just traveling musicians, but our American society as a whole. In our hustle-bustle society, it seems like there's never enough time for a complete conversation, whether in person or on the phone. When there is time, we hardly know what to say because so much has happened since the last time we conversed. This a most unfortunate situation but I have good news: it doesn't have to stay this way! There are things each of us can do to improve our friendships if we try. Here are a few things I'm going to keep in mind as I begin the new year:

1. Communication is a two-way street. 
If I haven't heard from someone in a while then they probably haven't heard from me either. I can send them an email or give them a call. Maybe even a voicemail could brighten their day as a reminder that I care about them.

2. I will say what I mean and mean what I say.
If I ask someone how they've been, I will be genuinely interested in their response. I will listen to their answer and, since I care, if they sound insincere I won't be afraid to ask again.

3. Miles don't have to distance us.
We are still friends even when we are apart. I am always ready to pray for and encourage my friends. It means a lot to know that I can depend on my friends, and I want my friends to know that they can depend on me even if I'm not in town. Time zones don't matter to me because I live on jet-lag (and coffee), and my friends are always a priority.

My wish for this new year is that friendships would not fade with time, but grow in strength and number; I wish that for you and me both. Happy New Year, my Friends, and may God bless you all! TTFN!

Comments

  1. LollyDecember 29, 2016 at 8:27 PM

    Hi Pearl! I am enjoying your blog!! - Laurie J.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lynn BernsDecember 30, 2016 at 8:15 PM

    Hi, Pearl. Thanks for another great blog post.

    I think that true, deep friendships are rare. I have 3 friends who I consider real, genuine friends to whom I can tell anything. It is a precious thing to have a really good friend.

    What do you think? Would you rather have many, many friends who are surface-level friends or one or two really deep friendships? Does it have to be only one or the other? With how many people can you maintain a deep friendship?

    Looking forward to your thoughts. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pearl HainingDecember 31, 2016 at 2:21 PM

      Hi Lynn, Thanks for your comment and great questions!
      A good friend is indeed a gift. I have a few of my own and I thank God for them!

      In my Pearlspective, any friendship is worth having, regardless of the depth. Because of how seldom I see most friends in my travels, I have acquired many "surface-level friends"; if I am careful to be genuine in what little interaction I have with them then they are all very meaningful and important to me.

      Is it possible to have too many "deep friendships"? It depends how much time you are able and willing to invest in each relationship; it is important to not commit beyond your ability to do.

      I hope that answers your questions! Thanks again! :)

      Delete

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