Good, Old Friends

These last few days I’ve been catching up with old friends and I can’t stop thinking about how beautiful friendships are.

Family is one thing, but true friends are another.

Sure, new friendships are exciting and fresh but I’m referring to the old ones. The unexpected ones that stay connected with you over decades.

The ones that you’ve shared belly laughs with. The ones who’ve jump started your car in the rain with, who’ve taken you to the hospital in the middle of the night, who’ve been your confidant and consoled you as you sobbed your eyes out. The ones whom you don’t have to explain yourself to because they understand you and choose to be in your life because you are you.

Ambition and the pursuit of constant progress can cause us to prioritize lucrative ‘connections’ and take our longer-term relationships for granted. The irony is that in the grand scheme of life the real, deep, true connections have returns that are magnitudes greater than surface-level networks ever will.

As you get older, it‘s easier to believe that the responsibilities of life are more important than the people in your life. It’s not true.

To have a person you can rely on, to be vulnerable with and be your honest authentic self with is such a beautiful treasure of life; and yet it’s free.

The time paradox of deep friendships is meetups are few and far between but when you’re together it’s as if time stands still and no time has passed at all.

While it takes a conscious effort, send the message, have the phone call, take the trip. Don’t take them for granted.

Life is short.

The only part of life that is certain is: the richness of life you will experience through meaningful personal relationships is far greater than a dollar will ever bring you.