“Why did you do all this for me?’ he asked. ‘I don’t deserve it. I’ve never done anything for you.’ ‘You have been my friend,’ replied Charlotte. ‘That in itself is a tremendous thing.”
When I lived back in New Jersey several years ago, a dear friend and I always made time during the week to see each other.
Sometimes it was nothing more than coffee at a local Starbucks or Barnes & Nobel, a relaxing walk around a picturesque park or dinner at our favorite pizzeria restaurant.
The setting was irrelevant to our meetings – what was vital was sharing time together to discuss the highs and the lows of the preceding days. That dedicated time helped build a strong, long-lasting friendship between us – separating those I considered simply an acquaintance, with someone I valued as a true friend.
As I continue to journey through life, one concept remains unchanged: regardless of the relationship in question, if you don’t put time into it, you can’t very well expect to get anything out of it.
Spending time with others should never feel like a burden. If you have to continually beg and plead with someone to spend even a small amount of time with you, consider that a red flag. In short, people should WANT to share in your life because of the person that you are and the inspiration and support that you offer.
Never dilute yourself to avoid feelings of loneliness or simply to increase the number of Christmas cards you get to send out.
Famed automotive mogul, Lee Iacocca, once remarked, “My father always used to say that when you die, if you’ve got five real friends, then you’ve had a great life.”
Surround yourself with people who value your presence and never forget to afford them the gift of your time. For in the end, it’s one of the only gifts that matters.
You are so right. I miss seeing you and eating those delicious cookies. Keeping in touch is so important the older we get. I love reading your posts.