Shared by Ron Misurka, and seconded by Guy Close…
NEVER FORGET YOUR FRIENDS
A newlywed young man was sitting on the porch on a hot humid day, sipping on iced tea with
his father.
As he talked about adult life, marriage, responsibilities and obligations, the father said “never
forget your friends”. They will become more important as you get older.
Regardless of how much you love your family and the children you happen to have, you will
always need friends. Remember to go out with them occasionally, do activities with them, call
them….
What strange advice! Thought the young man, I just entered the married world, I am an adult
and surely my wife and the family that we will start will be everything I need to make sense of
my life.
Yet he obeyed his father. He kept in touch with his friends and
annually increased their number. Over the years, he became aware that his father knew what
he was talking about. Since time and nature carry out their designs and mysteries on a
man, his friends were the bulwark of his life.
After 84 years, here is what he has to learn:
Time passes
Life goes on
Distance separates
Children grow up and become independent; it breaks the parents’ hearts but the children
become separated from the parents
Jobs come and go
Illusions, desires, attraction, sex ….weaken
People do what they should do
The heart breaks
The parents die
Colleagues forget the favours
The races are over
But true friends are always there, no matter how many miles away they are or for how long. A
friend is never more distant than the reach of a need, intervening in your favour, waiting for
you with open arms or blessing your life.
When we started this adventure called LIFE, we did not know of the incredible joys or sorrows
that you had. We did not know how much we would need from each other. Love your
parents, take care of your children, and keep a group of good friends too.
You might send this to your friends [even those you seldom see] who help make sense of your life…
