“I, take you, to be my friend, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part. ”

This is a common wedding vow that so many of us have taken (or a variation of it) and we try our hardest to keep to it!

Our partners in life are supposed to be our best friends so this makes sense to make a vow to one and other!

We have other good friends in our lives; however we don’t usually exchange vows with them – even though the union of two close friends is really not any different than the union of marriage based upon the above vows!

Our good friends we want to have and to hold – for better and for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health…

So do we?

• Have we been friends during good times and then found it difficult to be friends during hard times?
• Have we been friends when everyone is healthy and then shied away when someone gets sick?
• How about financial difficulties?
• Have we helped when we can
• It is so easy to be a friend when we are all in a utopian state of mind and health but when times get tough?

I have been working with My Stone Company almost three years and let me tell you I have learnt so much!  Cathy Raff – the founder and president is my boss! Everyone should have a boss like her.  It is a pleasure to wake up in the morning to tweet and facebook my status as “Hi Ho Hi Ho it’s off to work I go – With a smile on my face!”

Yes, I have a great job – but I love my job because of the amazing people who I work with.  They have become my friends.  Cathy – the ultimate Friendship Advocate or Queen of Friendship has shown me over and over again how important friends are in our lives – during good times and even more so during difficult times!

All of us (4 women – two continents, in 4 cities) have all gone through difficult times and I see how our friendships have helped to keep us going.  Cathy has discussed in her blogs how during her illness (UC) her friends stuck by her and helped her through the difficult times.

Almost two years ago my father passed away, it was a terrible time for me, I had to leave my daughter and husband in one country and fly to his funeral and mourning period in another.  But through the help of friends (and family) I got through it!  My closest of childhood friends came and sat with me, held my hand, and hugged me when I needed it.   The emails and calls from the “girls at work” were full of warm and beautiful positive words; I felt their hugs from so far away.  Even the shortest of text messages

“I love you, I am here for you”

made me feel so much better.

I don’t think that I would have been able to go through that time without my friends!

I know that it is extra work to be a friend during difficult and hard times – but it pays off – the reward of an even stronger friendship is the best!