Life’s truest happiness is found in the friendships we make along the way.

We haven’t lived in Port Macquarie long by regional standards, only a mere seven years, we’re not even locals yet. However it is clear the friendships we have made in that time are really special.

The relationships were forged at the school pick-up, on the wintry sidelines of the soccer field, in our neighbourhood and in an assortment of workplaces.

On that Sunday night, after the police had left and my poor mother had gone home to make all those phone calls (thanks mum), you arrived. We were all dazed and confused but you cried and laughed with us, you were magnificent.

More of you arrived from the next day on, you realised quickly Tracey was in charge and you followed orders instantly and obediently. Windows, outdoor settings, pantries were cleaned – we even reached the bottom of my washing pile – the children are now wearing clothes they haven’t seen for years.

Single mums arrived with groceries and vouchers for the fruit and veg shop and the butchers.

You continue to be there, listening to me rant about paperwork at school pick-up, taking me for coffees, lunches, dinners, on the end of the phone checking we are OK.

The girls were secretly afraid nobody would come to the funeral, but you filled the church and it was beautiful that you cared.

At times it’s been difficult to accept all the help, but it has shown my girls the power of friendship and community and given them an example to follow in their own lives. We have talked it through together and decided that even though we may never be able to pay back the people who have helped, sometime in the future we may get to “pay it forward” to someone else who needs a little bit of support during a tough time.

Today’s task is to organise to have coffee with a new friend – off you go, make that call now.

PS. You also need to take photos of your new friends, I have a million shots of their children but none of them – see I’m just full of helpful advice at the moment.