Friendship
Today, after leaving my friend’s house, I found myself thinking deeply about friendship, about the friendships I’ve gained over the years and the ones I’ve had to let go of. There are people I once spoke to who are no longer part of my life. And then there are those who stayed. The ones who grew with me. The ones who met me in different seasons of my life and chose to walk alongside me. Reflecting on it all made me realize just how fortunate I truly am.
But today’s reflection came after one of the most chaotic days at work. The day gradually became busier as it went on. What started as a normal workday turned into one of those days where everything seemed to happen at once. Teachers were coming in and out of my classroom just to talk, each one carrying something different frustration, overwhelm, exhaustion, sharing concerns about their classrooms, parents, and students. They were all trying to process everything they were holding in. In the middle of it all, we had an unexpected accident in my classroom that required immediate attention. Moments like that remind you how quickly things can shift in a preschool environment. It was simply one of those days where the energy kept building and there was very little pause in between.
There was also a moment that stayed with me. A teacher walked into my room overwhelmed and began crying. She told me I was her safe space and that she just needed a hug. In the middle of all the chaos, that moment felt so human. Even in professional settings, even in schools filled with structure and responsibility, we still need someone to lean on. We step in when someone feels like they can’t hold it together. We become each other’s support systems.
By the end of the day, I felt like I had absorbed so much emotion from everyone around me. When you are the person others come to, you carry a lot. And I carry it willingly. But it’s still a lot to hold.
I had planned to see one of my friends so many times before today. We’ve rescheduled more times than I can count. There’s always something, busy schedules, kids, work demands, exhaustion. It’s hard to plan time with friends when you’re balancing a full career and full parenthood. Sometimes it feels almost impossible to make it happen. But tonight, we finally did.
We connected so easily, like no time had passed. We bonded over the little things we share, raising our children, working in a field where we pour into little kids all day, managing homes, providing, spoiling our babies, showing up for everyone and fininding time for us. We are both such people pleasers that sometimes we forget about ourselves.
After the kind of day I had, sitting with her felt like exhaling. I vented and let everything out. I brought over some sushi for us to enjoy nothing fancy, just something simple to share. It wasn’t about the food it was about the understanding. I didn’t get home until around 7:30 p.m., but instead of feeling more drained, I felt lighter.
That’s the power of healthy friendship. At work, I get to be someone’s safe space. And outside of work, I get to have one too.
I am incredibly grateful to Hashem over and over and over again. For the energy to wake up and pack lunches. For the strength to support teachers, comfort children, and run a classroom with patience and care. For the ability to come home and be fully present with my own kids. To answer phone calls, make time for the gym, and still show up. None of it is random. None of it is by accident. I am deeply thankful that Hashem surrounds me with good people, people who bring light, warmth, and purpose into my life.
I hope I am a good friend in return to others. Some might say I’m not because there are parts of me I don’t easily share. There are boundaries I’ve learned to set, versions of myself I’ve had to protect. But that protection isn’t coldness. Sometimes protecting your peace means saying goodbye. And sometimes losing people is part of finding the friendships that are meant to stay.
My friends are incredibly special to me. I believe they were placed in my life intentionally, each one arriving in a different season, each one serving a different purpose.
I have friends in Arizona, California, Philadelphia, Israel, all over and some I speak to daily, some monthly, some once a year. But distance or frequency has never defined the depth of our relationship. These are the people I trust. The ones I grew with. The ones who saw me at my lowest and stood beside me as I healed. The ones I have poured into, and who have poured right back into me. We have witnessed growth in one another as mothers, as women, as individuals navigating life and that kind of connection is rare. It is sacred.
And at the end of it all, I know this with Emunah none of it is random. The people who enter our lives, the ones who stay, and even the ones who leave they are all part of Hashem’s plan. Every friendship is a lesson, a blessing, a mirror, or a chapter. Hashem places exactly who we need in our lives at exactly the right time. And as long as we continue to walk with Emunah and Bitachon we will never walk alone.
Emunah