Friendship

By: Tessie

Our friend Cody is staying with us this week while his parents are away. I love spending time with Cody. Besides my sister Mala, Cody is my best friend. I spent the early months of my life living with him and learning from him. He taught me everything about being a good cattle dog.

Whenever I go to his house, I bark excitedly when we take the turn onto his street. I jump out of the car and run to greet him as soon as the door opens. He’s happy to see me, too. We stay close to each other. Sometimes Cody gets annoyed when I always want to be the center of attention, or if I do something naughty. But he never stays mad for long. He loves me for who I am.

The last couple of days, we’ve spent a lot of time lying in the sun together on the deck and have gone for some nice walks. We’re excited to go hiking together this weekend.

I’m lucky to have such a good friend. Mom tells me that many people feel lonely in today’s world. Having someone you enjoy spending time with and who you trust to love you just as you are is a gift. Mom has been holding monthly Zoom calls with four of her friends from school, all of whom live in different states. They get together in person every couple of years, but they recently decided they wanted to see each other’s faces more often, so they started this monthly gathering. Just like I do with Cody, Mom gets so much joy from spending time with her friends.

Do you have a friend you haven’t seen or talked to in a while? If so, reach out to them today and make a plan to get together (if possible), or if meeting in person isn’t an option, spend time chatting on the phone. Notice how great you feel when you connect. Friendship is good for your health.