Amazing People

I woke up at 5:50 AM like I do every day, put my son on the bus and sat at my computer to print envelopes for Christmas cards.  Then it dawned on me, I don't have enough cards to send out to all of the people that my wife and I love and care about.

Before I knew it, the chat window popped up on my screen.  It was a former coworker that I absolutely enjoyed working with.  After talking for a while, I realized how much I missed working with the team of people at that job.  I ws there for 11 years, and those people became family to me.  I mean really like family. We genuinely cared about each other.

I recall once that our friend Carol needed a new wheelchair and when I mentioned it to one person, it spread like wildfire and before she knew what hit her, she had a new wheelchair because of the generosity of our work family.  I know it is said that we go to work to make a living - not friends.  That couldn't be further from the truth at that job.

Those people held me up when my brother and sister died.  The rejoiced with me when I got married and blessed us with gifts and offers of kindness when my kids were born.  When I moved on to a new job - they were right there to wish me well.  It's funny that over the past 12 years, we still feel the same way about each other. 

My heart was blessed this morning when I had my chat.  Time and distance didn't cause the lines of friendship to be blurred at all.  Yes, we have all gotten 12 years older, our children are mostly young adults and off to college or in high school, but it was like we just pick up like we just saw each other yesteray.  That is when you know that you have true friends.  Your conversations with them still cause you smile and laugh.  Even in an electronic conversation, I can hear their voices, see their body language, and feel their presence.  You have no idea how good that feels.

Then I looked back at my a picture of my wife, and I thought to myself - "man you are lucky"  Who else would put up with me for the past 20 1/2 years.  She blessed me with 4 of the greatest kids in the world - even in the trying times - I love them unconditionaly. She knows all of my strengths and weaknesses.  I am a blessed man.

Speaking to my friends from college is the same way.  They know just what to say, when to say it and they know that they can say what I need to hear - not what I want to hear.  So - thank you for being some of my life long friends.  Thank you for making college a rewarding experience for me.  Thanks for speaking into my life and saying what needs to be said.  Thank you for taking the time to get to know me, and allowing me to know you.

I can't believe I am able to say that I have some friends that have been in my life for over 35 years.  God brings us full circle with each other.  I can recall being in Honeyhill Elementary, West Rocks Middle and Norwalk High Schools with the same people - and we are friends to this day.  Yeah, there were some gaps in speaking, but we are friends - not associates.

In some unique way, God keeps us all connected to be a support system to one another.  We are all going through something (un)spoken or not.  I've come to the realization that no matter what I am dealing with (and it's a lot) someone else is dealing with more.  Yeah, I can vent and complain, but then I listen to my friend - and my issues don't seem that bad afterall.

The people in my life are amazing.  Each person that I have the honor to call friend - has impacted my life in ways that I can't begin to describe.  Their words, their time, their compassion and their hearts - are all gifts given from above.  Never despise the day of small begininngs - you never know when you might need to go back and thank someone for helping you climb to the mountain top.

I am a rich man today because of my great wife and family, my friends, and mostly because God is at the center of it all.