Día del Amigo- Friend's Day!

Friendship is one of my favorite things in the entire world. There is nothing that makes me happier than spending time with and keeping in touch with the people I love, and knowing that they are happy.

Wikipedia accurately sums up the values of friendship as the following, fitting very well with my definitions:

• Tendency to desire what is best for each other
• Sympathy and empathy
• Honesty
• Mutual understanding and compassion
• Trust
• Positive reciprocity

Today, South America is celebrating Día del Amigo, Friend's Day, ironically enough, on my half birthday! I wasn't too familiar with what the holiday was except from advertisements, until a lunch conversation at work yesterday. My co-workers were shocked to hear that the USA does not have anything really comparable to this, at least societally-noted and celebrated.

Wikipedia describes it as the following:

Día del Amigo (Spanish, Friend's Day) is a celebration of friendship, held annually on July 20 in South American countries including Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

In Argentina, Friend's Day is often a good excuse for a common friendly gathering, though people also employ the day to get in contact with old and seldom-met friends and greet them. …The gatherings tend to happen during the evening.

Friend's Day has in recent years it has turned into a very popular mass phenomenon. In 2005, too many well-wishing friends led to a temporary breakdown of the mobile phone network in the cities of Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Córdoba and Rosario. …Seats in most restaurants, bars and other establishments are already booked out completely a week before the celebration.

The idea for Friend's Day goes back to Argentine teacher, musician, and dentist Enrique Febbraro, who lobbied to turn the anniversary of the first moon landing into an international day of friendship, along with his Rotary Club de Once, Buenos Aires. He argued that on this particular day, the whole world had been friends of the three astronauts. The first official recognition of the day came with decree No. 235/79 by the government of Buenos Aires Province, which authorized the celebration and gave it official nature.

I say this a lot, but I have the best friends in the world. Looking at these pictures does not fully explain how special each and every one of you is to me, and how nice it is to know I always have someone to talk to. Whether I'm skyping someone from Argentina, making plans at home or school, talking on the phone or going on adventures, it's the people and not the conversation or events that make it for me. Having people to trust with your thoughts, share experiences and listen to is a special thing. Excited to observe how Friend's day is celebrated, I reflected on some of my fondest memories with my friends. I might be crying of happiness as I post this, but here we go.

FRIENDSHIP IS...

Going to St. Louis together Labor Day weekend to catch up from the summer

and cheer on Mizzou at the Illinois game

Building houses at Project Mexico for a month

where you meet and forever keep in touch with

some of the greatest people in your lives

Eating with your sorority sisters after chapter

to debrief and comment on everything that just happened

Sleeping in a hotel room in downtown Chicago with 17 girls,

because you want each one of them there

Celebrating New Years' with your best friends

then forever lying to your friend's mom

Traveling through Argentina together

and picking each other up while you fall

the first time you all try to ski
Going downstairs on midnight on your birthday

to see that your best friends trekked over to your house

in the snow to sing Happy Birthday and share some cake

Having all the people you love come to your birthday

dinner on a school night even after the original reservation

was cancelled because of snowstorms

Coming home for Sts. Peter & Paul's 50th Anniversary

and Greek dancing all night with all of your church friends
Road tripping to the Michigan Dunes for

ultimate relaxation and an annual catch-up

Having the opportunity to celebrate Orthodox Christian Easter

not only with your family, but also three of your best friends

who care enough to go to Chicago and attend a midnight church service

Valuing every minute you have together, even if it's

the one day you see each other all summer before taking off

for different countries, summer and future lifestyles

Love you all!

Feliz Día del Amigo &

Happy Friend's Day

to all of my best friends out there!