Thank you for being my Friend! The past few months have been tough, and I have been badly let down by someone close to me. I can always count on my friends, though, and never more so than when I am stuck at home nursing a sick child and I need help getting my older child to and from school safely. We Are the World BlogFest (#WATWB) celebrates special people and small stories of inspiration and hope in the world. This month I celebrate my friends.

My mum friends are a close-knit community. We came together when our children were babies, and we have supported each other through lots of troubling times. We have also celebrated the achievements of ourselves and our children, celebrated birthdays and festivals, and enjoyed social time to simply be adults. Even though we all lead busy lives, with the responsibility of family, work and home to navigate, we find time to be with each other, even if it is just for a quick chat at the school gate. And I know we are not alone. All over the world there are networks of friends that work together, play together and support each other when they need to. These communities are vital to our survival as human beings. Some people mistakenly choose work over life. These people invariably find themselves exhausted and ill, and often left alone because their friends and family give up trying to support them. We must work together and take turns to help each other when we need to. I know that I have been there for friends in the past, and I will continue to do so in the future. Last week I felt very emotionally and physically drained, and my friends were there to step in and help. They gave me company, they allowed me to take the dog for a walk while they babysat, and they bought flowers to cheer me up. Thank you, my friends. I love you, and I am very grateful for your friendship.

We are the World BlogFest (#WATWB) focuses on positive stories no matter where they’re found. It is all about spreading peace and humanity on social media. All participants post on the last Friday of the month, sharing a positive news story that contributes to making our world a happier, safer, and better place to live.

You can find more about #WATWB over on Belinda Witzenhausen’s blog.

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