I had lunch the other day with a good friend — the kind of friend who challenges my thinking, all in a very positive way. This person is one of those people with whom I need no mask.
In reflecting on our relationship I realized that in the last few years I’ve grown — personally, spiritually, intellectually — in part because of my relationship and interactions with this person.
If that’s not something to be grateful for, then I don’t know what is. 🙂
Even though we yearn for permanence at times, I learned long ago that people come and go from our lives. People change. We change. Life happens. Even death happens.
The friends I have today are completely different than those, say, 20 years ago. It’s fascinating to me that of all the non-relatives I interact with even semi-regularly, it’s my wife that I’ve known the longest. (Even including relatives increases the count by only two.)
Good or bad — I see it as neither — it happens. It just is. It’s another form of the constant change that is life.
Acknowledging that our circle of friends is likely to expand and contract and change in composition over time, it seems even more important to acknowledge all the friends that add value today. Whomever they are, whatever value they bring, it’s worth appreciating them.
I know I do. Especially those that challenge me and help me to grow.
For those following the journey, this is day 11 of 60 days of gratitude.
While I’ve turned to your website for advice on many occasions, having read all eleven days of “gratitude,” I can only say, Leo, I hardly knew ye.” Thank you for allowing strangers a glimpse into your life. I’m enjoying the Sixty Days of Gratitude immensely. I would go so far as to take a guess at why ’60 days.’ It seems obvious to me but I could be and likely am totally wrong. I came home from Mass today with a laundry list of chores to tackle but I chose to read your ‘journal’ first. Wise choice! Thank you.