By midlife, most women have had many kinds of friendships. Some have come and gone depending on the season we were in, while others faded over time. We've developed a deeper understanding of what is needed for a healthy relationship and eliminated those that weren't good for us. While we've all experienced friendships that utterly failed in painful ways, there are also those tried-and-true girlfriends who have shown up with unexpected acts of kindness, generosity and support. I still recall the most profound ways friends have impacted my life. I’ll never forget those pivotal moments when I felt loved, cared for, seen and supported. There’s nothing more encouraging than having a devoted friend go above and beyond when we need them most.
Here are inspiring stories from women about how their girlfriends showed up for them. If you have a special friendship story, please share it in the comments below.
“After my painful divorce, my best friend planned a girl’s getaway, and she made it all about me. It was the most thoughtful and generous thing she could do, and I felt so loved and supported. It was just what I needed.”
“When my husband had his first open heart surgery, two women from my church traveled to the Cleveland Clinic two hours away and stayed with me the entire day. They didn’t leave my side until my husband was in recovery. I’ll never forget their presence and support on one of the scariest days of my life.”
“When my kids were little, my five-year-old daughter was very sick and suffered from chronic asthmatic attacks. My husband was out of town for work, and she was getting worse, so I called my friend at 3 a.m. sobbing and asked if she could come over to watch my two-year-old son so I could take my daughter to the hospital. She came right away and stayed until later the next day. My daughter had pneumonia. I'm forever grateful my friend showed up for me when I was desperate for help.”
“For my second marriage, we planned a private ceremony with only my fiancé, me, and the chaplain in a private cove near the lake. My girlfriends knew I didn’t want anyone there, so they secretly went to that location early that morning and decorated the shelter with balloons and a banner, leaving a bottle of champagne and glasses and a beautiful card congratulating us. I cry whenever I think of how special they made that day.”
“After I had surgery, I was in a huge leg cast and in so much pain that I couldn’t do much of anything but rest and elevate. My poor husband was trying to manage our young kids while working, and the house was a mess. I complained to my friend about how desperate I felt to clean the house and put some order back in our lives. Later that night, after her long day at work, she showed up at my door with cleaning supplies and cleaned my house. I’ll never forget that she did that for me and my family.”
“In August 2008, I had just had my hysterectomy a week before Hurricane Ike came through, knocking my power out for eight long days. By day four, my friend invited me to her house for a much-needed hot shower. While I was there, she fed me the best grilled cheese sandwich I’d ever had. That long, hot shower, her delicious, simple meal, and her TLC were just what I needed.”