July 29, 2021 — Back in the July 9th Cardie Newsletter, we gave you a heads-up that tomorrow is International Day of Friendship, followed by National Friendship Day on Sunday. Well, our own Cardie Oma Hannlis used the opportunity to send cards to the caring Cardies who’ve befriended her — nearly 70 now brighten her mailbox on a regular basis! Because Hannlis has such a unique perspective on friendship, we asked her to share it with you here:

Throughout my life, I’ve considered making new friends a very big commitment. To let someone in and let them know more about you than others do is a very big deal to me, because it’s a matter of trust. I grew up in Nazi Germany, when no one could openly express views to friends as we are free to do here. There, at that time, if you voiced your concerns or opposition to the party to someone who was not the trusted friend you thought, you might never be seen or heard from again.

My father was a naval officer who took his oath to uphold the German constitution very seriously, so he wanted nothing to do with Hitler’s regime. But being part of the resistance was very dangerous for my parents and their friends, because the party was always listening. When my parents’ friends would come to our home to discuss what might be done to restore freedom and democracy, we kids were sent to our rooms so we could not hear their conversations … the Hitler party people would try to find out from the kids who the parents’ friends were and what they were saying, and that could be very dangerous for us all.

After the war, we were able to be freer and more trusting with friends as we did not have party people looking over our shoulder all the time. Such a great relief! My brother worked very hard and earned a scholarship to New York University and, when he had established himself as an architect in Philadelphia, he asked me to come to the states, too. Although Otto was — and is — my very best friend, it was challenging for me to make other friends in America in the beginning. I’m sure that was because of the times in which we’d been raised.

I believe the most special friendships I’ve had in my 97 years have all been based on my sense that this was someone who was what our parents raised us to be: humanitarians. For friends, I choose very kind people, people who are always looking for ways to better the lives of those they know, and even those they don’t. To be helpful and caring whenever they can.

That sort of kindness is what I have always seen in you, Cardies. It’s so amazing to me how you share little parts of yourself with me in the cards you’ve sent. I appreciate you and it makes me happy that you make such an effort to reach out to a friend that you have not even met! Many happy friendships to you today and always!