As I sit here, I constantly think about various aspects in my life. One of the things that jump out is the people I’ve come to known over my twenty-four years. These people I constantly worry about, hang out with, defend, think of as closest members of my family, and are the ones I can count on the most. I am referring to those that I am proud, and honored, to call my friends.
I could go on and on and mention those friends that mean the most to me; but, they know who they are and the list is too long. Growing up as an only child and constantly being the target of being picked on, I didn't make too many friends. I don’t know when the change came about. Actually, it was sometime between sixth and seventh grade. Seventh grade was kind of the acceptance year (I think because we were all lumped into the auditorium on the first day and we were all scared of junior high). Anyway, being a friend means so much to many people. For me, it is something different.
Being a friend, to me, means knowing what to say or do to calm someone down in case they get too overwhelmed with a problem or situation; it means knowing no matter what, they will always remain positive and work through a situation; it means being there – if needed – at a time when no one else is there; it means giving “tough love” when necessary but never passing judgment on the person or their situation; and, it means understanding the person and still help them to be a better person.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, yes I am an English major so you better believe I am quoting a writer, once said, “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” I would hope that I hold the same qualities that I look for in friends. I've been called humble many times. I don’t consider it being humble; I consider it being a good person. I hate seeing my friends in any sort of situation that makes them uncomfortable or nervous. I know we all have our roads to travel, but I firmly believe that we should not walk down that road alone…or at the very least without some guidance along the way so we don’t get lost.
I am very thankful, and blessed, to have the friends that I do in my life. They mean the world to me and I would gladly do anything and everything in my power to help them out. I think too often people don’t really know how much a person has an impact on someone else’s life until it is too late. I think each friend I have challenges me to be not only a better person, but a better friend. It is one challenge I hope to improve on until my last breath. After all, that is how long a friendship lasts in my book.
Please be sure to take a moment in the next few days to reflect on the friends in your life. Think about how they have helped you, influenced you, or even made you laugh. If they are still living, send them an e-mail or give them a call. Friendships can last a lifetime, but only if the lines of communication do not become terminated. I’m thankful for my friends…are you?
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