“The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand,
nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship;
it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one
when he discovers that someone else
believes in him and is willing to trust him.”

                                                                                                                  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

When I look back at life, at moments that sparkle in my memories, I discover jewels of special people in my life. People who encouraged me, people who believed in me, people who saw things in me that I couldn’t see in myself.

Friends at college, a group of new moms, another group all starting businesses. There were three of us who met for lunch over a couple of years where we were all going through major transitions, a group that shared a life challenge, and the group I meet with today.

We shared our dreams, our experiences, our successes. We believed in one another when we couldn’t believe in ourselves. We listened to each other when no one else was listening. We encouraged each other and held each other accountable for the actions we committed to. We learned that we were not alone. We laughed, we cried, we were there for each other, we grew together.

I know I’m not alone in the treasures I found in groups. As I listen to many people they speak fondly of a group that sat around a kitchen table, or at a local diner and shared their dreams, and believed in them before they believed in themselves. It’s a way for people to get support, come together and become a part of something bigger than themselves.

Get a few friends, colleagues, or acquaintances together and forming your own. The joy you find can last a lifetime.