Fridays with Franky: Show Your Friends Some Love!

Happy Friday everyone, it’s Franky the camp dog back with another Fridays with Franky! I’m feeling my bungee cords a bit today, so I want to give a shoutout to all my camp friends. The people I met every summer at camp are some of the best friends I know, so I want to remind all of you how much you mean to me! And while I am excited for our summers to come, I know that I can show you how much you mean to me now.

“At the Heart of WeHaKee is Relationship!”

During the summer, we all learn how to live in community with one another. Here are the top 5 ways we can all show our friends and family that we value them right now!

1. Stay in touch. For those of us who have friends and family far away, as some of our camp friends might be, it takes effort to stay involved in each other’s lives. Come up with a creative and consistent way to continue to support each other. You could text your aunt every Thursday, or send a postcard to your cabin mates on the second Tuesday of every month. Put it in your calendar or stick a note somewhere you’ll see it so you don’t forget. Life gets crazy, but I promise this will help!
2. Small gestures. It’s great to get the people you care about gifts to show your appreciation, but know it doesn’t have to be big or cost any money at all. A drawing, poem, or prayer on a card can mean the world to a friend. Sometimes your love for your friends just has to be tangible!
3. Being honest. This may seem self explanatory, but I am not talking about just telling the truth. It means saying things that you might feel like keeping to yourself. Sometimes we don’t tell people when we are feeling strong emotions because we are embarrassed. Next time you want to cry, laugh or shout, try putting it into words for a friend you trust. They will feel honored because you were vulnerable to them, and you will feel supported in your time of need!
4. Anticipating needs. Try to do the same for your friends! If you know tests stress your buddy out, write down the dates and send them a little message of encouragement. If your mom has crazy Tuesday mornings, be there for her when you know she could use an extra hand. If you notice a pattern in what the people around you need, they will start to think you are psychic! 
5. Telling the world! If you are proud of your friends and happy to have them, give them a little shoutout every once in a while. Tell someone what makes your camp friend from last summer so great. Tag them on social media in a random throwback picture and thank them for their friendship. A little recognition goes a long way.

Thanks for joining me in acknowledging all the great people in my life, camp friends, and otherwise. It’s a powerful thing to feel supported and WeHaKee strives to help girls build those relationships. I can wait to go back, but today I want to acknowledge that possibility in my everyday life. I hope you feel loved today!