Good Friends

I think there is almost nothing in life that can bring you more richness than good friends. Even when I was my most nerdy and socially awkward, I always had at least one good friend I knew would be glad to see me and I to see them. When I reminisce it is often of people I knew and thinking of their unique character always excites and inspires me.

Each period of my life has been marked by different friends and wherever I go or whatever I do I’m blessed to find people with whom I can share inspiration. I’ve found the key to making friends is to be nice to strangers. When I meet someone for the first time I try to put a little extra effort into being nice and welcoming. From there simply be kind and respectful and you can have all the friends you could ever need.

The only regret of having many friends is that the scope of anyone’s life is limited in time, space, and attention. There are people I cherish deeply I’ve neither seen or spoken to in many years. It simply wouldn’t be possible to maintain a close bond to everyone I’ve ever been friends with. So, I try to let things flow naturally and my closest friends are generally those people doing the same things I’m doing in the same places at the same times. Still, once a friend always a friend if I were to meet any on the street any day I’d feel the same trust and affection for them as I did when I saw them every day.

Today I was honored to attend a birthday party for one of my friends. You know people are close when they want to share important moments with you. And sharing experiences is what brings everyone closer together. Or to put it succinctly, in friendship and in many other things: Presence is Relevance.

So from the bottom of my heart, thank you to all my friends past present and future. You make life so much richer than it could ever be alone.