I love my friends. Seriously, I don’t know where I’d be without everything I get from my girlfriends — support, encouragement, wisdom, and of course a lot of laughs!
Lisa Whelchel, who all of you who grew up in the 80’s like I did, might remember as Blair on the Facts of Life, took her own journey to intentionally look at friendship in her life. Like me, she thought she was pretty good at friendship. She was able to reach out to people, she had a great group of friends with whom she laughed and shared life, but a few good friends in her life made her realize that she was holding back — she had built a wall of reserve.
Friendship for Grown-Ups: What I Missed and Learned Along the Way is the story of her journey. It’s not a how-to guide on making friends, it’s not meant to inspire you to build bridges with people (though you will probably want to after reading it). It’s simply her personal story of rocky friendships, good friendships, intergenerational friendships. She dug deep to break down her own walls and found it was worth it.
I loved this book.
I had a chance to do a phone interview with Lisa, and it was fun talking to her about our own experiences with friendship:
After reading the book, I realized that I’ve held back from true intimacy as well. I wondered how we can identify our own walls, or walls in others, and how can we break them down?
Lisa Whelchel said, “When I’m talking to someone, I pay attention to how I’m feeling”
She related a story about how she was talking to someone, and then she just put the wall right up, and said what she thought she should say, versus how she was really feeling. Lisa recognized the switch and confronted her friend about it. She gave her permission to feel and express her true feelings.
“We relate mask to mask not heart to heart.”
That should vs. reality quandry made me wonder if she thought it was harder for Christian women to have intimate friendships, or harder. On one hand, we have that very important common bond. On the other hand, there is that mask.
She didn’t even hesitate. “It’s definitely harder. There’s so much pressure to be a certain way, we end up pretending to be what we should be instead of who we really are.”
I love the fact that throughout the book, Lisa let us peek into so many kinds of friendships — intergenerational, Christian to Christian, old friends, new friends. I asked her, “Why is it important to get close to a variety of people?”
“If you have a diet of just peanut butter and jelly — those are yummy — but you miss out on steak or salad or a piece of fruit.”
This sums up what I like about this book and my conversation with Lisa Whelchel. She’s real. She’s down-home. But she’s wise too.
She encourages us in the book to be vulnerable and to just “get naked” with those around us (metaphorically of course). Knowing that she’s a good Texas girl, I had to ask her, “Is it naked, or nekkid?”
“Nekkid!” she squealed. “Oh, definitely nekkid.”
I have THREE copies of Friendship for Grown-Ups: What I Missed and Learned Along the Way to give away, courtesy of Thomas Nelson publisher. Please leave a comment if you’d like to win this great book. We’ll announce the winners in the August 9 column.
The winner of Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner is #13 Sarah.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book for review purposes.
I may need this book more than I realize–authentic relationships, a beautiful thing!
I’d love to read this!
janemaritz at yahoo dot com
I would love to win this book. Thanks for the chance at the giveaway!
Love her! This book sounds terrific.
Thanks for the contest!
This book sounds inspiring
Sounds like a great book!
I’d luv to read this interesting book, thanks.
I would love to read this book. Working full-time and caring for my family has left me little time for strong friendships. I would like to change that.
This book sounds wonderful! Its so true that for years,it was mask to mask instead of heart to heart! Some of the wall is breaking down and woman are talking more of their true feelings!
Thanks for the chance
Would like to win. I have great friends and am thankful for them. I remember her from the facts of life.
I would love to read this book!!
I loved watching her on The Facts of Life! This sounds like a great book to read. Thanks for the chance.
I would love to win her book! She is someone I think I could sit down and chat with all day!
I would love to win this book!
Yes, I would love to read this book.
I would really love to get a copy of this book. I missed her when she came to East TX.
emmerswee at gmail dot com
I didn’t know she was a writer-cool
I’ve read some of her other books and am interested in this topic. I’d love to win this one!
I really like this author I have one of her parenting books. Thanks for offering!
I used to love Blair and Facts of Life! This sounds like a great book!
Lisa is just as beautiful today as in The Facts Of Life. I would love to read a copy.
I always love finding great new books like this one.
I’d love to win this book.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
I have enjoyed reading her other books and would love to read this one too.
wmmahaney(at)att(dot)net
I love Lisa & her books! This one sounds awesome – thanks ladies for the chance to win 🙂
Wow… I’d love to read this book. Keeping my fingers crossed that I win.
It’s funny because I’m right in the middle of a situation right now where someone is encouraging me to don a mask rather than be my authentic self in order to make an experience more “comfortable” for more people. I think this book might be a must read for me whether I win one or not.
This sounds like a must read book! Thanks for the giveaway!
I loved watching that show!!
Love this!
I so miss the authentic, intentional friendships I had back in college and deeply desire to create those again at this stage of my life. I have not yet read one of Lisa’s books, but heard her speak once and just truly admire her vulnerability. I’d love to win this book!
I would love to read this book! I really enjoy her books!
Sounds like a great read! Thank you!
Please enter me to win!
I’d love to win a copy of this book!
As a 30 something new mom I’m really trying to rediscover and recreate my life, with child. In that quest I am acutely recognizing the importance of female friendships. Though I have many friends I am discovering that I don’t have many “good friends” at all. And I truly believe this is self-imposed after reading this post. I don’t think about “walls” in context with friends. Husband, co-workers, sure. But friends…it’s brilliant! This book really resonates with where I’m at right now. I really hope I am picked to get a copy. It will be well received.