“A friend accepts us as we are yet helps us to be what we should.” – anonymous
When we arrived at the place on the Whidbey Island beach that we are staying this week, the windows facing the water needed to be cleaned. Last year when we rented this place for vacation, I didn’t think to wash the windows until the end of the time we were there.
But in the spirit of live and learn, I remember this year on the second day we were here. Luckily, two of my dearest friends, Katie and Eric were with my kids and me on that day and we washed off the salt spray residue together.
I think window washing is one of my new favorite metaphors for friendship. Dear friends are the ones who you allow to see through the most transparent layer. They are the people who help wash your interior windows. Friends as the people who know when your outlook has gotten grimy and apply a good helping of elbow grease to clear it. And who you trust when they say, “Looks good!”
I could run this metaphor into the ground. But I’ll stop there and say how grateful I am for dear friends who make washing windows fun!
Because it’s a great segue to the podcast episode my dear friend, Vicki Atkinson and I did this week. Dr. Stein has become a great friend of the Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast so it was so fitting that he came on to share revealing and delightful stories about friendship.
He tells of the three categories of friendship according to Aristotle. And we talk about the investment that it takes to build a platonic relationship with another.
Of course, with investments come payoffs. And Dr. Stein coaches us through how to think about that term when it comes to friendship.
In the course of any lasting relationship, apologies come into play. Dr. Stein tells us some wonderfully illustrative stories about apologies that help to get to the heart of apology.
I’m certain you’ll enjoy the scenic and beautiful places we go when we share the power of story.
We know you’ll love it!
Search (and subscribe!) for Sharing the Heart of the Matter on Apple, Amazon, Spotify or Pocket Casts OR Listen to it from your computer on Anchor: Episode 78: The Blessings and Responsibilities of Friendship with Dr. Gerald Stein
AND subscribe to our YouTube channel to see a video clip of each story: @SharingtheHeartoftheMatter.
(featured photo from Pexels)
Links for this episode:
About Friendship by Dr. Gerald Stein
Becoming Close Friends: A Practical Guide by Dr. Gerald Stein
Episode 78 post by Vicki Atkinson on Sharing the Heart of the Matter
Dr. Gerald Stein’s Blog: Dr. Gerald Stein
Other podcast episodes with Dr. Stein:
Episode 60: The Perils of Prediction with Dr. Gerald Stein
Episode 46: Being Your Own Best Friend With Dr. Gerald Stein – Part I
Episode 47: Being Your Own Best Friend With Dr. Gerald Stein – Part II
Episode 37: The Waiting Game with Dr. Gerald Stein
Episode 29: Accidental Philanthropists with Dr. Gerald Stein
Episode 20: The Art of the Interview with Dr. Gerald Stein
From the Hosts:
Vicki’s recently released book: Surviving Sue
Wynne’s book about her beloved father: Finding My Father’s Faith
Surprised By Joy 