Friendships

Okay, so I am not exactly sure where I am going with this...it may end up being just a bunch of useless rambling..as I find most people don't really, really listen anyway... Okay, here goes.....so I watched the movie The Soloist today...got me thinking about friendship from the very beginning of the movie and then in the last scene there was this thing that Steve Lopez said about friendship...I tried to google it, but was unsuccessfull...so watch the movie. Anyway he said this thing about that had to do with taking chances and being Nathaniel's friend...a very unlikely friendship, and he wasn't sure if being his friend had made a difference...and then he said that he was told by the experts that being Nathaniel's friend has changed Nathaniel's brain chemistry...I liked that...really, really liked that. But what I liked the most was that it was so very evident that Steve was forever changed by this friendship and even told Nathaniel that he was honored to be his friend-that in it self is a profound statement...honored to be someone's friends. Especially in this instance, Steve stood to gain nothing by being Nathaniel's friend, and yet he walked the distance to find him, to find that common ground...which is really the matters of the heart. Isn't that what friendship should be after all...matters of the heart. I think that all too often people get into friendships for what they can obtain from it...does it make them look good or feel good or is it something more tangible than that? When you look at your friends around you, are they similiar to you? Do you share common interest? have you even just had a friend that you just knew needed a friend? Knowing you would probably gain nothing? or should I say that you didnt think you would gain anything from? when really you gained blessing far bigger than yourself? maybe far bigger than you even realized...if you even realized them at all? I have had a few friendships like this....and this movie brought me to just thinking about high school....and a boy named Daniel....I dont know where Daniel is today...but my friends and I became friends with Daniel and ate lunch with him every day for 4 years...I'm not really sure what started the whole thing....we didnt have classes together, but we found the time everyday to sit with Daniel and just have lunch..talk about the day and laugh and just have a good time...it warms my heart to have those memories...And an outsider may look at this and think that it wasnt a give and take relationship...but it was so much more than that....actually I think I benefited so much more by knowing Daniel than he did from me.. Then there was my brother Chad's girlfriend, Jewel, what a very very sweet girl...she too was mentally challenged...But she has so much to offer...so much to share...sure it took her a little while longer to get to the point she was trying to make....but sometimes the journey is the real lesson.She taught me so much about the face of adversity...she had seen her share and yet she smiled all of the time...she found the good and the positive in most everything...and she taught me that you dont have to be smart or educated to love...love is something so much bigger than anything that could ever be measured. I have also had friends that no matter what have been there...maybe time and distance have kept us separated..or maybe it was a life style change, but in the end no matter what that person has always been there...this is my forever friend and I would not trade her for the world... I have also had friends who do not even deserve the title of friends...and believe me I am not bitter about this at all...I think even with these people who have come and gone...I have learned and have walked away with some better knowledge or respect for life and love and for the friends that I have. I still will always stand behind my thought that I really have nothing to lose by being someones friend...I think that in the end the journey is the real lesson.. Hug those you love a little tighter today...and cherish the friendship and more importantly....reach out....touch someone's soul just by extending yourself...you have so much to gain in doing this. Smiles and kindness go a long way... Until the next time....my friends.......




This is something that I had previously written but thought it was worth sharing...you will have to excuse the improper grammer and punctuation...who needs all of that when this is so random.