“I learned that a real friendship is not about what you can get, but what you can give. Real friendship is about making sacrifices and investing in people to help them improve their lives.” -Eric Thomas

Meet my best friend, sister, gist partner, Ogo aka Gaby Chronicles.

 

We’ve known each other for over a decade now and we maintain a steady relationship despite us being in different seasons. You see, I am single, never been married and have no kids. Ogo, on the other hand is a wife and mother to a sweet little boy.

 

 

 

Our friendship is very unique because we’ve managed to be there for each other even though we’re in different seasons of our lives. When I met Ogo, we were high school kids ready to take on the world. I always knew Ogo would get married before me because she always talked about it. Surely enough, she met her husband at age 20 and was married by 23 and had her baby the next year. Through it all, we have gone through ups, downs and much more but we have always maintained our love and respect for one another.

In our video on how we’ve maintained our friendship over the years, Ogo shared a point that I found hinders a lot of relationships today. She mentioned that she thought that when she would get married, her life would center around her husband and kids. In the first year of her marriage, she quickly discovered that maintaining her friendships was a very important factor in her being a great wife and mother (watch video to learn more about her thoughts). I agree with this perspective because I believe it is important to maintain your friendships through seasonal changes.

 

Here Are Some Tips On How To Maintain Friendships In Different Seasons:

1. Stay Connected: After high school, my relationship with Ogo became long distance. We both had to make an effort to see each other. It doesn’t matter how far we are away from each other, we both make an effort to be there for each other.
2. Create Time For Each other: When Ogo got married and had her baby, I quickly learned that her availability to go out was limited. Instead of letting the friendship die, I made the effort to go over and spend time with her. Even with her busy schedule, she makes time to see me and hang out.
3. Be Honest and Transparent: Your relationships won’t last if there is no honesty and communication. If you’re having difficulty adjusting in a particular season in your life, be honest with your friend. Don’t let them feel like you abandoned them. Life is not easy and you don’t have to go through things alone.

Want to Learn More? WATCH THE FULL VIDEO HERE

I hope you found this blog insightful and I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences with maintaining friendships in different seasons. Thanks for reading beauties! Until next time, you can keep up with me on Instagram @iam_Deborah.

Love