The best type of therapy! A dose of a good friend can be more potent than an anti depressant, more entertaining than a night at the comedy, and more relaxing than a week at a beachside resort (I'm thinking Bali, not England).
I've had a few pretty spectacular sessions recently. First with some old school friends who never fail to make me feel sixteen again. Retelling tales of embarrassing high school crushes, successfully spread rumours and controversial hook ups, I'd say we were more saucy than sweet sixteen. Then my year abroad ladies with whom I get to pretend to be one of the successfully employed London crew (it WILL happen). And then my Melbourne mate. Salivating over a couple of hot salt beef bagels we swapped stories between bites; tales which tickled the taste buds more than the lashings of hot mustard (no I can't share, we're sworn to secrecy).
I realised that despite having no house, no job and less than no money (get your violin out), when I had my friends around me nothing mattered but who was going to buy the next round. Treat your friends like gold dust (I'm not sure exactly how you would treat it, but I imagine it would be with lots of care). When you lose your job and your boyfriend/girlfriend finishes with you (don't panic I'm being hypothetical) your friends pick up the pieces, tell you that you're amazing (even though you're probably a bit of a mess), and help you get back on your feet. Never underestimate the effect a friend can have.
So when you're too busy to meet for coffee, or you might cancel dinner because you've just remembered that Game of Thrones is on tonight (I know you've been tempted at some point), remember this: Friends are our fuel; they give us energy and life when we're running low, they are more valuable than our wage packet, they are our night vision goggles to help us see the light at the end of the tunnel and they are the best life coaches we will ever have.
