Every first Saturday of July is the “Día del Amigo” (Friend’s Day) in Peru. The concept was implemented just two years ago by a national beer company, Pilsen Callao, probably as a gimmick to sell more beer.

They’ve been promoting it as a day to celebrate friendship with old buddies you haven’t seen in a while. “We’ll remember the anecdotes, the laughs and the good times that we spent,” they advertise.

The slogan of this year’s Pilsen Friend’s Day commercial is: “True friends are always there for you. That’s why, on Friend’s Day, you need to be there.”

Despite the connotation with beer, I appreciate the reminder to value my friendships and in honor of Friend’s Day, I want to thank all of you for your friendship! I can’t thank you enough for reflecting with me, for the conversation, for the support through the tough moments, for caring about me and for just being a part of my life. This bear hug is for you!

I also want to recognize an online friend who has made a difference in my life this past week. Carolyn Nicander Mohr has been a true friend to me in recent days, taking time out of summer fun with her family to check in and see how I was doing after a string of health issues. Check out her blog on everything tech, accessible to everyone from the lovers to haters at Wonder of Tech!

In the spirit of Friend’s Day, I’d love to hear about one friend you’d like to recognize who has positively impacted your life in the past week!