[Daily OM]: Good friends enrich our lives in so
many ways. Through a magical combination of similarities and
differences, friends offer us the opportunity to know ourselves as we
are and help us grow into who we want to be. Our similarities attract us
to each other, comforting us with familiarity when we see ourselves in
them. When we are drawn to those we admire, the same recognition is at
work, unconsciously acknowledging that these people possess qualities
that we ourselves possess. By acting as mirrors, friends help us define
who we are by reflecting our selves back to us.
Friends also help us know ourselves through our differences. Differences
allow us to see other options and make choices about who we want to be.
Sometimes we are drawn to those who appear to be our opposites, and we
learn to accept the parts of them we love and the parts of them that
don't resonate with us, thus allowing us a valuable learning
experience. By expanding our understanding to include others'
experiences, friends help us accept others. By understanding when
someone's life differs from our own, we can learn about ourselves in
contrast. There are times when we see in friends what we don't like
about ourselves. That mirror reflection may be hard to take, but a good
friend helps us find ways we can change and supports us in that choice....<<<Read The Full Article Here>>>...