In this life, if I am blessed enough to have five friends, five good friends that I can take with me to the ends of the earth and all of eternity, I can say I will be complete. Five friends for each one of the five fingers on your hand. Five people as important to you as as those appendages for which they sit on.
After all, what is this life without good friends? How does a person create, maintain, and build good friendships? I met my best friend on a bus in third grade when I moved to the suburbs because her mother wanted to meet my mother. Small towns talk. She heard that they both had red hair and the same wildly Irish and phonetically confusing first name. Most likely from the same county in Ireland. Matches met in heaven. And how do we maintain our friendship? God only knows with a start like that.
But in all actuality, as Harry Nilsson sang, one is the loneliest number. Humans need steadfast companionship. Not only for mental stability, because it's probably in our best interest not to be talking to imaginary creatures, but also for our own progress. To stabilize and grow, we need to surround ourselves with positive people! Positive forces that nurture our souls as we nurture theirs...so may the force be with you!
My father first told me about his five friends for his five fingers. From what I've seen he's had the same friends for over fifty years! WOW! There is hope.
Be the friend you would want to have. Be the person who is selfless, compassionate, and more loyal than a salty old seadog. You never know. You might be the reason for the direction of your friends' life. Be a good reason.
