July 16, 2009 - FRIENDS ARE IMPORTANT

I don't just sit around all the time worrying about the economy and how I am going to singlehandedly straighten out all of our politicians (joke); I actually enjoy doing other things, like hanging out with my friends.

One of my favorite quotes is: "Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born." - Anais Nin

I am lucky to have quite a few friends. I have come to realize that we all come in different flavors, much like ice cream at a Baskin Robbins Shop, and that it is a "very good thing." Friends are sometimes treated like ice cream with too many people getting hung up on one flavor so that they miss out on some of the more tasty ones in another container further down the cooler.

My daughter-in-law and son spent the night with me not long ago and she brought chocolate and mint ice cream. My first thought was, "Yuck!" Guess what? I helped finish it off.

There have been times in the past, when meeting someone new, I immediately decided that I would not like them, but would find out later that I really misjudged them.

My best friend and I are pretty close in personalities/likes/dislikes and etcetera so we are very compatible/close. BUT...I have some other friends that are either slightly or completely different from me. If I was only content with hanging out with my best friend, my world would be a lot smaller because we are "too much alike." Having a bunch of friends who are as different as "Tutti Fruity" ice cream makes for a "tasty treat" when hanging out. You vicariously get caught up in their "world of stories" and come away with a different perspective on life.

Broaden your horizon...make as many friends as you can because they will bring a lot of pleasure into your life. This will help you to quit listening to the news telling us, "Chicken Little! Chicken Little! The sky is falling." On second thought, maybe it is...I better get up from here and turn on the news.