QUESTION:
There was a time in my life when I received a lot of benevolence from certain friends, in different ways. I formed a soul bond with my friends and I was very close to them. I was especially close with one of my friends, who made himself available to me at all times. He was like a father or a mother to me. He and his wife together made their house available to me at all times and they invited me for Shabbos meals all the time, and many times even during the week I would eat by them. During that period of my life, they saved my soul and my spirit, and my neshamah, with all of the honor and good feeling that they gave to me. This was besides for physically nourishing me, through the many Shabbos meals. I have endless gratitude to them. But now, Baruch Hashem, it is 7 years later, and since then I have gotten married, and I have 3 children now. Now I feel more settled and happier, and I have developed my inner world. Inwardly, I am much more mature since then. I no longer feel like I “need” that friend (or any of my friends) as I used to. Although I feel much happier now, because I can now get my needs from within me (of course, this is only relatively speaking, in comparison to the past. Clearly I still have a long way to go), I still feel somewhat pained at the fact that I have nothing to do anymore with my friends of my past, because I don’t need them as I used to.
How should I relate to my friends from my past? How should I relate especially to the friend that I used to be so close with, now that I no longer “need” him? And how can I show gratitude to my friends, especially to the friend that I was closest to?
How should I relate to my friends from my past? How should I relate especially to the friend that I used to be so close with, now that I no longer “need” him? And how can I show gratitude to my friends, especially to the friend that I was closest to?
ANSWER:
Whenever any of your friends need help, make sure to be help them, and put your heart and soul into helping them, dedicating yourself to their cause.
Every so often, like on Yom Tov or during certain times of the year, you can renew your bond with your friend(s), from an inner place in yourself, of love and gratitude. Express your gratitude to your friend(s) with words, and sometimes you should also show it in action. Every so often, you should also daven for your friends, out of a love for them.
Every so often, like on Yom Tov or during certain times of the year, you can renew your bond with your friend(s), from an inner place in yourself, of love and gratitude. Express your gratitude to your friend(s) with words, and sometimes you should also show it in action. Every so often, you should also daven for your friends, out of a love for them.
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