The Blog Post About Friends
First things first, it’s hard to believe that I’ve been writing this little monthly blog for a whole year. I originally started it for a class, but it’s since evolved into a significant part of my life, especially in light of everything that has happened this year. If you’ve been following along, you’re already aware of my journey.
I graduated from college, moved to New Jersey, and continued my path of self-discovery. A key aspect of this journey has been building connections. As someone who struggles with social anxiety, lacks confidence, and has a natural shyness, making any kind of connection has always been challenging for me. I have a large family, and while those connections are important, they have their own difficulties.
That could be a topic for a future post, but today’s focus is on friendships. Making friends has never come easily to me. When I was younger, I had many friends, but they were more superficial connections. I wore a mask that prevented them from truly knowing me, as I didn’t allow myself to be vulnerable. Unsurprisingly, after a significant event in my life at eighteen, when I attempted to take my own life, most of these “friends” disappeared.
Since then, I haven’t put much effort into forming authentic friendships due to fear. However, to my surprise, I’ve managed to build true friendships here in New Jersey, thanks to amazing, patient, and understanding individuals. It has been a challenge, but I finally feel loved, seen, heard, and cared for.
While it may seem unusual for a personal journey, building connections with others is a crucial part of the process. I spent a long twelve years focusing on self-work, but I’ve now entered a new phase where I am actively working on my connection-building skills and discovering who I can be as a friend. This is a significant and challenging step for me but one that is necessary for my ongoing journey of authentic self-discovery. Our identities cannot be defined in isolation; they are shaped by our connections with others. Friends play a vital role in helping us understand and convey our identities to the world.
What I’m Currently Working on
These days, between work and personal projects, my schedule seems to be a juggling act of teaching, writing, and refining my craft. I’m excited about the new poems I’ve been crafting alongside my students, capturing their voices and experiences, which parallel my own journey of learning. As always, to follow my progression or what I am doing, you can head over to the Works in Progress Page or follow the Facebook Page where I post updates and share fun tidbits daily.
Author Recommendation
Author Recommendation
Poem for the Month
If you follow me on social media, then you will have already seen the following poem. It is titled mirror and is a recent poem I wrote. It explores seeing yourself differently because of the way others see you. This goes perfectly with this month’s theme as, more often than not, our friends see us differently ( hopefully in more of a positive light) than we see ourselves.
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