The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love, 1963
Every day, we are awoken from a forgetful or memorable dream, rising from our wearied state to prepare ourselves for the day which destiny presents itself to us. Our daily routines play on autopilot sometimes as we prepare to face the day ahead of us. Sometimes, there's those typical days that seem to play on repeat for weeks on end. At other times, mother nature and the will of the universe adjusts the power of its winds and fights to stir us in a direction which we least expect.
At the end of the day, we regather our thoughts, reminiscing the day's affairs and rewinding the frame shots of the past's bright and dark moments.
Once our thoughts are settled, we realize that what truly matters at the end of the day is that we tried our best to "live life to its fullest." Then, we resume our sleep, drifting off into dreams of mortal combat, bliss, or neutrality.
////
^With the above in mind, I have come to the re-realization that people can not stand by themselves without the support of others. Each person is developed in a unique fashion that is appropriate in the eyes of that acclaimed creator. One important note: No person is designed to grow without another person. Thus, friendships are an integral and imperative part to a person's unique emotional, mental, social, psychological, and spiritual coming of being.
Friendship is vital to living. Human relationships are vital. Conversations are vital. Feelings are vital. Love is vital.
"We are all a little weird and life's a little weird.
And when we find someone who's weirdness is compatible with ours,
we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love."
- Dr. Suess
A wise woman gave me priceless advice one day during a volunteer event. She told me, "Find those who you are compatible with. Those are the people who matter. The rest you can lay to the side."
People come into your life, stay there for a bit, and then leave. Some people are only meant to be there for a brief moment in your life while other people stay there.
Friendship is a word that is too often handled with a variably less weight of tangible meaning. "Acquaintance" may irk some people. Nevertheless, a "friend" is a term that deserves more attention than it is barely given to by many people.
Friendship is a two-way street. If only one person reciprocates, it will fall. People can not stand alone.
Recipe for friendship? Something to think about.
Two people who have known each other for a long period of time may not necessarily have as strong and/or are compatible with each other as a two-member team who have bonded only over a matter of less than an hour.
Some people walk out of your life. And, you know what, it's alright to let them go because they did not make the same effort to keep you in theirs. And, it'll be evident once you look back. It hurts at first, but time heals most things.
I want to close with one of my favorite quotes, as an addendum:
"If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on." - Steve Jobs
May you always continue to love and cherish people who have stayed and/or walked into your life all renewed. And like how life is full of surprises, those new friendships that pop up out of nowhere sometimes develop into long-lasting friendships of love, harmony, forgiveness, kindness, and value.
No comments:
Post a Comment