A Celebration of Connection: Honoring International Friendship Day
We’ve all heard that little ditty by the Beatles ‘I get by with a little help from my friends. . .’, and it plucks at our heart strings as we think of those special people in our lives that truly get us. For most of us, social connections and friendships are vital aspects of our lives. We all define a good friend a little differently but for the most part I think we can agree that a good friend is someone who understands us, they accept us, and they love us for all our strengths, weaknesses and weirdness. Good friends are priceless; they make us feel valid, worthy and that we truly belong.
“Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together” – Woodrow Willson
Friendship is such an important part of life, so it only feels right to celebrate it doesn’t it? Interestingly, the International Day of Friendship has roots going back about a hundred years. Hallmark first came up with the idea in 1919, encouraging people to celebrate their friendships by exchanging cards. This trend didn’t last long, though; by 1940, it had pretty much faded away. Fast forward to 1998 and Winnie the Pooh was honoured as the world’s ambassador of friendship, by the United Nations. Then in April of 2011 the United Nations officially designated the 30th of July as the International Friendship Day, although many countries prefer to celebrate it on the first Sunday of August. However here in Australia it is celebrated on the 30th of July which happens to fall on a Tuesday this year.
“Friendship isn’t a big thing – it’s a million little things” – Paulo Coelho
For thousands of years, humans have thrived because of our ability to connect, communicate and cooperate with each other. Imagine back in the caveman days when our ancestors banded together to hunt big game. Taking down a mammoth solo? Not a chance! But as a team, they could tackle challenges that would have been impossible to do on their own. This strength in numbers gave them a clear survival edge.
Alright, I’m going to let my inner science geek out for a moment, but don’t worry, I’ll lock her back away before she gets out of control. In the animal kingdom, brain size typically matches body size – big animals like whales have big brains while small animals like mice have small brains. However, humans have unusually large brains for our body size. Why is this? It’s largely because we need to handle the complexities of social interactions and networks. Our big brains help us to navigate and manage these intricate social dynamics.
So simply put we have evolved large brains in order to connect with each other. Our social connections are incredibly important, so much so that we have also developed a unique signaling system to let us know when we need more of them. And what is this signal, you ask? It’s loneliness. Loneliness is a crucial warning sign that informs us that our basic human need for social interaction is not being met. Okay let me just wrangle the science geek away so we can continue.
“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.” – Willaim Shakespeare
Friendship is crucial for mental and physical health. A healthy friendship provides emotional support, reduces stress, lifts mood, combats anxiety and depression, supports the immune system and improves sleep quality. Social connections are vital for our well-being, so much so that Maslow placed it third in his Hierarchy of Needs, just after the basics like food, water, shelter, security and safety.
Friends bring more happiness into our lives than virtually anything else. They greatly influence our mental health and overall well-being. Good friends are like stress-busters – they bring comfort, joy and help keep loneliness at bay. Staying socially active can actually boost our immune systems and fend off isolation, a major player in depression. Having close friendships isn’t just good for our mental health but benefits our physical health too. A lack of social connections can be as risky as smoking, excessive drinking or leading a sedentary lifestyle.
Friendship is a two-way street, giving is just as important as receiving. Being there for our friends not only helps them but it also boosts our own sense of self-worth. It makes us feel needed and adds purpose to our lives. Caring for others makes life more meaningful. When we care about others, it is our responsibility to provide compassion and emotional support. This makes us stronger and better people. Having a support system can also help us feel more secure in our own lives.
“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You too? I thought I was the only one.” – C.S. Lewis
Now that we know how having friends benefits us, let’s explore some ways to celebrate International Friendship Day this year, shall we? In Paraguay, celebrations often take place in bars and clubs on the eve of Friendship Day, where everyone exchanges gifts as part of the ‘Invisible Friend’ tradition. Similar to Kris Kringle at Christmas time, participants write their names on pieces of paper, draw names at random and give a gift to the person they picked on July 30th. Here in Australia, we honour our friends by reaching out, reminding them of how much we appreciate them and celebrate with thoughtful gifts. In most countries catching up with friends at a bar or restaurant seems to be the most popular way to celebrate this day.
Really there is no one way or best way to celebrate, the perfect way to mark International Friendship Day, is to do something you and your friends enjoy doing together. Go for a picnic, send a text, have a girl’s (or boy’s) night out, make friendship bracelets, bake a friendship cake, give each other oracle card readings, or just pick up the phone and say hello.
In a happy coincidence, July 30th also just happens to be International Cheesecake Day. So why not combine the two and enjoy a delicious cheesecake with your bestie? Sounds good to me!
Written by Bridget Sherlock.
Bridget is a heart-centred scryer that utilizes divination tools such as crystal balls, oracle cards & the tea leaves, to connect you with passed over loved ones and your spirit guides. She can assist with gaining clarity on matters of concern, finding your life path, and uncovering past lives that might be holding you back. Bridget is passionate about assisting others on their spiritual journeys no matter where they maybe in life.
