The Value of Friendship

Yesterday was Super Bowl Sunday and since I’m a huge sports fan and my wife loves to cook, we usually invite lots of people over and have a party. But this year, because our beach house is so small, we could only invite a small group. We also join in with our friends and put money in a Super Bowl Pool every year, in the hope that one of us will win the “Grand Prize”.

 

One of the people we invited is a very close friend named Chris, who has been a good friend of mine for over 35 years. Chris is one of those guys who would give you the shirt off his back. Every time we get together he is always helping me fix something and it doesn’t hurt that he’s really good at it, one of those MacGyver types. He is kind and considerate and backs it up with action. I think a big part of our friendship is that I know I can trust him and he knows he can trust me. The fact that we have been doing business together all these years, as well as being friends, just emphasizes the trust factor.

Another long term friend, who is also a business associate of mine, is named Gary. Last week Gary and I met for lunch and he handed me a check for $600.00. That’s pretty nice because I always like getting unexpected money. But what’s really great is that he was returning an overpayment that our company had mistakenly sent him. He didn’t have to return the money because I doubt we would have ever caught the mistake, but he did. Gary is one of the good guys, a hard worker, a solid businessman and a truly honest person. And I am proud to say that we have been loyal friends for more than 38 years.

Someone once said, “It takes a long time to grow a real friend”. I definitely agree with that. Real friendships don’t happen overnight. Fortunately I realize that, so I try hard to never take them for granted. I make it a point to stay in touch and reach out to them so they know I care about them. Many times in my life I have been disappointed by people who I thought were my friends, so when I know I have a true friend, I make sure to treat them right.  

So let me ask you a question. What value do you place on friendship? I’m not talking about the “Facebook Friends” you might have, not that there is anything wrong with Facebook. It can be another great way to stay in touch. Just make sure it’s not the only way you stay in touch. What I’m really talking about is the value of a true friend, someone you have known for many years, someone you know you can totally count on when you need them. If you think about the value of that friendship, maybe you have already won….. “The Grand Prize”!

     

Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things.  ~Anonymous