Soul Saturdays: Faith

"Friendship required more faith than any other kind of love"--Kate Racculia, This Must Be the Place.
If you didn't read my post about this book and writer, you gotta do that first to get the full grasp :) I read this book last week and marked the page immediately for this blog post.
This quote really spoke to me. I don't know if I 100% agree that it takes more faith (marriage is a pretty darn huge leap of faith!), but the concept is sound. With your family, you have a connection that is permanent. Even if you don't speak to them much or at all, the fact that you share DNA, last names, and roots keeps you on each other's radars despite the ups and downs. 
With loves, if you do take that leap of faith be it marriage or moving in together, you are telling each other that you are in it for the long haul. There is an established commitment, and even though these don't always last, there is something that feels permanent about these love relationships. We don't have the commitment talk with friends, trying to guarantee some sort of future together.
With any relationship, there are no guarantees. However, with a friendship, I think Racculia is saying there is even less of a guarantee than other types of relationships. Friends have to decide to stay in touch, decide to spend time together, decide to be there for each other, decide to stay friends. 
Friends are former strangers, and they can just as easily become strangers again. With family, you are always family. With love, you are always someone's ex. With friends, if you stop being friends, you are just nothing or at the most, a faded memory.
This quote made me think about all my friendships, past and present, and although it's sad to think about those that used to be in our life and aren't anymore, it also emphasizes that we have to take good care of those friendships that are fulfilling and soul-feeding. Both people have to have faith in the other because faith is the only connector in a friendship. There are no visible ties--no DNA, no marriage certificate or promise of a future together. Just the hope that you can continue to love and support each other as you grow and change. 
Having kindred spirits as friends is vital for a healthy, happy soul. Take today to think about your friendships, letting go of those that aren't good for you anymore, cherishing those that are, and keeping the faith that the people that are supposed to be in your life are there for you no matter what. Seek out quality over quantity, and people that have faith in you, to create your inner circle of love and support.