Cheers to you! Here’s hoping your day is filled to overflowing with good health, good news, good friends, and heaps and heaps of love.
It may seem unimportant, but a smile and a little sincere small talk goes a long way. Whether I’m at the grocery counter or picking up takeout, I make an effort to keep my phone in my pocket, look the clerk in the eye, and strike up a little conversation. Meeting someone’s gaze makes us more subtly aware that they’re a whole person in their own right, and it lets them know that we see them that way.
In a sense, every time we don’t look someone in the eye as we move through the mundane parts of our day, we’re losing an opportunity to see and be seen as a relatable, valuable human being with a sense of shared identity. It’s important to note that individuals with neurodivergent conditions like autism may have difficulty with eye contact, and that’s OK too.
There are times in life when the road seems unbearably long. These are the times when a good friend helps us to shorten the journey. A good friend helps us over troubled waters. A good friend lifts our spirits and puts a smile on our face. Here’s hoping you have many such friends in your life.
I can lift a certain amount of weight by myself. When my friend helps me we can lift three times the weight I was able to lift alone. It’s the way life works. We can do much more together than we can do alone. When we work together we discover “our way” will get us much further than “my way” will get us. C’mon reach out a helping hand and work together with family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors. Together, we’ll make it a better world.
““When you have an ass for a friend, expect nothing but kicks (Indian proverb).” What if I took stock of my friends, what would I discover? Would I discover I have friends I can count on? Would my friends encourage me to go after my dreams? Do my friends hold me back. Do I come away from meeting with friends with a negative feeling? The kinds of friends we have make all the difference in our lives. Choose wisely and be a good friend in return.
I love the holiday season in the US. It runs from Thanksgiving (the end of November through New Year’s day). It’s festive. I see family and friends I haven’t seen in a while. I like to hear the stories of those I haven’t seen in a while. And, to hear their stories of their dreams for the future. The best gifts I will receive will be the gifts of their presence. I can’t imagine anything more valuable than that for me.
Take a moment and take stock of what you have. Do you have good health? Do you have a family who welcomes you? Do you have friends you can count on? Do you have people who depend on you? If you do, you are rich beyond measure. You may not have all you want, yet, what you have is a treasure.
Who we hang out with, is who we become. A Bulgarian proverb says, “Tell me who your friends are, so I can tell you who you are.” Choose your friends wisely. Choose friends who inspire you. Choose friends who encourage you. Choose friends who lift you up when you are down. Do the same for them.
“If we are all made of God, it is our friends who remind us. We pass the gift of God to them. They pass it back to us when we need it most..”
Fear
Pile on the logs… Give me your hands,
Friends! No,— it is not fright…
But hold me… somewhere I heard demands…
And on the window licks the night.
