I think if could live life all over again, I would invest more in friends. Not friends in general, but certain friends in particular.
The other day, a very good friend called and said that he was going to be in Dallas for a convention. He wondered if we could get together. Both he and his wife have been good friends for twenty years. Twenty years! Now that is a long time. I have a few close friends who go back even farther.
I went to Dallas late Monday afternoon to meet my friend for dinner. We ate at Pappa’s on I35 (BBQ) and enjoyed catching up with what was going on in one another’s world. Then, we drove to The Great Indoors (close to the Galleria Mall) and walked around, looking at the latest televisions and very nice grills. We finally ended up eating cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. That was fun. Most of all it was fun just to talk, laugh, and enjoy life.
It seems like most of us have different kinds of friends. These may be few or they may be many.
- Friends who we have known for years. We may not see them often, but when we do, it is as if no time has passed. I feel reconnected when I am with a friend like this.
- Friends who live nearby. A friend who you can have lunch with or coffee with and it is like a break in the day. I feel refreshed when I am with a friend like this.
- Friends who are present when you are having tough times. This may be a friend over the telephone. This may or may not be someone who lives in the same community.
I also know that friends can hurt you. Friends can leave you. I have had friends who chose to leave their marriages and in the process left most of their friends. Friends can also betray you. I remember telling a friend something a few years ago that was very personal only to have it come back to me through someone else. (He had told his wife, who then told ….who then told…..who then told….). I felt kind of sad. I had to be careful about what I told that friend. This friendship would no longer be what it was.
Today, I want to be thankful for every kind gesture from friends. I want to take no friend for granted (as unfortunately I have at times).
I receive every good thing as a gift from God. Maybe experiencing friendship is just another expression of God’s grace.