Friends enhance our lives

It may have all started with Adam and Eve, depending on your theological outlook on life, but duos and the enduring power of a friendship seems to permeate our culture.

While some friends may come and go throughout your lifetime, if you think hard enough, you probably won’t find a time in your life when you didn’t have at least one friend. Granted, that friend doesn’t have to be human or even alive.

Consider man’s best friend: the dog. No matter the time of day or night — or how long you may have been gone — when you return home your dog is overjoyed to greet you. At least mine is. Barely standing 12 inches above the floor, he jumps as high as he can or on the nearest piece of furniture so he look me in the eye (or lick my face) to say hello whenever I walk into the house.

They also seem to sense human emotions. When we are sad, they are always nearby offering a comforting nudge or cheerful wag of the tail. When we’re happy and playful, so are they. Dogs also enjoy accompanying us on outings, especially walks in the park or around the neighborhood.

When thinking about friends who don’t live and breath, there are plenty of children who have been known to have an imaginary playmate or a favorite stuffed animal or blanket that they cannot be without.

As we get older, these types of friendships seem to fade and be replaced with different, but no less important, types of relationships.

We are witness to great friendships on a regular basis. Movie and television screens have showcased these bonds for as long they have been offering entertainment. Among those friendships are the Lone Ranger and Tonto, Thelma and Louise, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick, and Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz. You can hardly think of one half of those duos without thinking of the other.

Songs also tout the many benefits of friendships.

Who hasn’t sung along to tunes such as Queen’s “You’re My Best Friend,” Randy Newman’s “You Got a Friend in Me,” James Taylor’s “You Got a Friend” or The Beatles’ “With a Little Help From my Friends”?

Fortunately for those of us in Boulder City, we don’t have to look far to find a friend. The town itself has a friendly vibe and serves as a wonderful backdrop to make and see friends.

Whether walking on the city streets, enjoying a meal at a local eatery’s outdoor dining area or attending any one of the community events, you are bound to run across someone with a friendly smile or happy hello. If you’re lucky, you’ll even get a hug and an invitation to join in on the festivities or make arrangements for another get-together.

I was reminded about the importance of friendships while sitting with a group of ladies on a recent evening. All hailing from different backgrounds and fields of work, the ladies had only one thing in common: to create a bond of friendship and share some fun and laughter. In between, came nuggets of wisdom, tidbits of practical advice, and insight and opinions about current events, family relationships, books to read and movies to see.

When I was named editor of the paper, it was my hope that you could see these pages as a friend, one you could turn to for happy and not-so-happy news and information. I hope we are making progress.

Please continue to share your thoughts with us about what you like and don’t like. That’s what friends are for.

Hali Bernstein Saylor is editor of the Boulder City Review. She can be reached at hsaylor@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9523. Follow @HalisComment on Twitter.