I find it fascinating that the word friend and the word free both come from the same Indo-European root word which meant to love.   It turned into the Old English word freod which meant affection, friendship, peace.

Love and freedom and friendship.  Such a beautiful combination.  And so deeply ingrained in humanity’s DNA.

It makes sense to me.  A friend helps free you from pain, sorrow, worry, loss.  A friend helps you be truly free in the fullest sense of the word.

Free to be yourself, free to laugh, free to say anything, free to tell everything, free to believe, free to grow, to try, to go for it.

A friend helps set you free.

My favorite definition of the word friend is someone on the same side of the struggle as you are.

I love this definition because that’s when I really feel the friendship, and that’s when it really COUNTS.  When there’s a struggle and someone is on your side.

May you have many friends and enjoy much freedom!

Love,

Ingrid