Jar Full of Smiles: Friendship Therapy

Therapy is defined as: a treatment intended to relieve or heal a disorder. So … what does therapy have to do with friendship? We all hit points in life when we are feeling down or have a situation that is driving us crazy with worry, or even have a happiness that is so consuming us if we don’t share we feel like we’re going to burst.

I love this picture because it epitomizes the little piece of paper I fished out of the Jar Full of Smiles. It states:

A good friend is cheaper than therapy.

Having friends is essential in life, whether they run around on two legs or four — and there are advantages to both kinds. 🙂 In the image for this post, the dog is being a fantastic friend by just being with his friend, listening to what he has to say, not judging. Sometimes the best thing in the world, when you have too much on your heart and mind, is to tell all to your dog (or the neighbor’s dog) because you know with certainty, they will never tell another living soul what you said. It is cathartic to bare your soul and get all the niggling things bothering you off your chest. And your dog will understand the depth of your feelings and do their best to make you feel better, while at the same time be happy they are spending time with you.

But sometimes, we need a little bit more. We not only need someone to listen … we need some sort of acknowledgement that our problems have been heard and there is understanding of what we’re experiencing. And not only to share the bad things with, we need friends to share the good times with, too. How sad would it be to be bursting with good news and have no one to tell? We need someone to laugh and be silly with as well as someone’s shoulder to cry on when needed.

And friends are there for us because we are there for them … it should be a two-way street. Remember: “We don’t have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to.” — Brené Brown So, if the street is only one way, then it may be time to think about changing things up in the friendship circle. I’ll leave you with a couple of questions to think about.

  • What makes a good friend?
  • What kind of friend are you?

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