Just A Thought

A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. Walter Winchell

Today I received a greeting card in the mail from one of the best friends I have ever known. It was really cool because it wasn’t in the form of an e-mail or E Card, and yes, I am very guilty of using that medium as well. Something about actually finding a card, buying a stamp and actually mailing it. It seems almost like a chore these days.

The card was just a note to say hello and so on. No birthday, no anniversary and no real occasion other then to say, you are my friend and I was thinking about you. I know that’s why it touched me and made me wish we were still neighbors, only separated by a 4’ concrete wall.

My friend is someone who knew very little about what I did for a living and frankly, I don’t think cared all that much. We became friends over time. We had no advantage to being each other’s friend. We simply were and still remain great friends. It speaks to the test of friendships.

To me, if you are my friend, it takes an act of God to shake that. I tend to be overly loyal and clearly naïve in this respect. I admit to having been disappointed over time, when some friends were only that when the occasion suited them. Here once again, I must believe I have done the same and I regret if that was the case.

A few years back, I set out to locate and contact old friends I had not been in touch with for years. I don’t recommend this if your skin is thin and your ego is already under attack. This is not an endeavor for the weak of heart.

I would say out of the 10 folks I found, only my friend, Ken, and I were able to re-establish a strong bond. I think that’s pretty cool. Apparently, with other friends, mostly now strong church going, Republicans, I didn’t achieve that success. But hey, worth a shot.

I think my biggest sense of confusion is with some of the folks I worked with for 20 some odd years. Here is the area where I was really out of touch with reality. It reminds me now of a guy I worked with in California. Try as I might, he would never respond to e-mails, phone calls or meeting invites. Of course, when he saw you in the flesh, he was the 1st to shake your hand and ask how things were going. And, if you happened to be standing talking with the boss, well, then he was your long lost brother.

In the end, I merely walked down to the manager's office and called this dude from the manager's phone. When he saw the name flash on his phone, he was always quick to pick up on the 1st ring. Oh well, perhaps he was not the only one.

Regardless, thanks for the card, Jan.

My advice here is simple, Make an effort, when someone is your friend, to let him or her know. In the end, titles go away and clearly, friends don’t.