There is nobody more important in your life than family. Don’t ever take them for granted and cherish every moment you have them around.
Likewise, if you are fortunate enough to have even one person in your life other than family whom you can call a true friend, then you are richer than any billionaire. I’m away this week on my annual ‘boy’s week’ up the country away from concrete and glass and peak hour traffic. I’m here with 6 friends, one of whom is my best mate and we’ve known each other since we were 7 years old.
This is the 36th year of this annual ‘pilgrimage’ (for want of a better word) and the whole idea is that we come together from all parts and just BE. There is no timetable and no agenda, just a bunch of blokes filling in the blanks after not seeing each other for 12 months but the banter is easy and there is no tension or machismo. We simply spend time together catching up on the events of our lives because we care.
Other than family, and sometimes even easier so, these are the people I can be most open and honest with. They will hear my trials, travails and tribulations and there will never be a scintilla of judgment. There is always encouragement, words of advice and friendly opinions from an external subjective point of view. They see my foibles and accept me for who I am, and for that I will be eternally grateful. It is still difficult at times but I can relax in their presence, rely on them to bring some perspective to my issues and I hope that I am equally as useful to them.
In any case, when you find someone or even a few someones on whom you can rely outside of family, and in whom you trust, make sure you let them know how important they are in your life. Be there when they need you, because I can guarantee they will always be there for you. It’s what friends do.
