{"id":4292,"date":"2014-02-25T07:33:57","date_gmt":"2014-02-25T07:33:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/flightofthesoul\/?p=4292"},"modified":"2014-02-25T07:34:13","modified_gmt":"2014-02-25T07:34:13","slug":"cultivate-love-and-friendship-day-ninety-five-of-loveland101","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/flightofthesoul\/2014\/02\/cultivate-love-and-friendship-day-ninety-five-of-loveland101.html","title":{"rendered":"Cultivate Love and Friendship – Day Ninety Five of #LoveLand101"},"content":{"rendered":"

True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity, before it is entitled to the appellation.\u00a0<\/em> –George Washington<\/p>\n

Washington was a passionate gardener and spent many hours tending such at his home in Mount Vernon.\u00a0 A man who did what was necessary and lead an army of miscreant dreamers to defeat the British Army and establish a new republic is nothing short of a bright light of inspiration.<\/p>\n

The Bible<\/a>\"\" offers two notable examples of friendships. The first is that between Jonathan and David, in which Jonathan walks a slender tightrope between his loyalty to his friend David and his devotion to his father Saul. The second is that between Ruth and Naomi, which gives us the beautiful verse that has been adopted by lovers but in its spirit holds the heart of true friendship….<\/p>\n

\u201cWither thus goest, I will go, and where though lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God, where thou diest, will I die, and there will be buried: the Lord do so to me and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Samuel Johnson<\/a>\"\", who knew the fragility of friendship and said that \u201clife has no pleasure higher or nobler than friendship,\u201d<\/em> tended to place friendship on the same level of significance as marriage a joining with a brother in a space of safety and joy and peace.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Take the time to appreciate the friends in your life.\u00a0 Tell your friends often how much you love them and find occasion to celebrate them whenever you get a chance.<\/p>\n

“We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last a drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindness there is at last one which makes the heart run over.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Allow your heart to run over, drop by drop, today and everyday.<\/p>\n

In honor of the upcoming Muppets movie<\/a>\u00a0You Gotta Have Friends.<\/p>\n