Your Inner Circle

I was at an event a few nights ago that reunited me with some familiar faces, as there were a number of us that had met some time ago at a special event.  Although I only met these individuals once before, we were collectively bonded together in a great way that defines a second set of family members.  As I thought about this even longer, I was reminded about how less likely it is that you find new trusted friends as you grow older.  When you think about the many friends that are part of your inner circle of support, that list grows shorter and shorter as time goes by.  A lot of us met some of our best friends when we were younger and the life experiences that we shared kept us connected over the years of our lives.  Many people experienced their first friendships in elementary school and for whatever reason we gravitated towards another person that seemed like minded or had similar interests to us.  Things may get a bit more complicated as one enters the middle or high school years as peer pressure makes us all want our friends to be popular, which can be either perceived, actual or non existent.  If you are lucky enough, the elementary school friends are still part of that network that either confirms what true friendship looks like and still keeps you in high regard.  If you were able to go to college, then one is then introduced to yet another group of people which may also have binding ties to you for the rest of your life.  What I truly value the most about all of these individuals is that they accepted you where you happened to be at and took you in unconditionally.  I find it amazing that people would say yes to being your friend without going through your resume of life first, before they actually accepted the position.  If one is lucky enough, then they have friends in that circle of support from the different stages in one's life that form the pillars of your foundation in knowing that at any given time, all one needs is to make a phone call and that person would be there for you.  As I get older, I become even more sentimental about the thoughts associated with having these special individuals that I call friends.  What has been even more of a true blessing has been this other group of people that I met later in life that also took me in and gave me a hug along with a beaming smile, that spoke about their willing nature to add you to their list of people that they also support.  When you think about the true core values in your life, one begins with faith, family, health and soon thereafter the word friends may come up.  I believe it is because if any of those other mentioned items had any issue to be concerned with, a friend could help you get through any difficulty.  As you navigate your journey in life, think about the many individuals that added value to your life and how they make you feel when you simply think about them.  If you have lived long enough, then you may have also had the experience of distancing yourself from others that have added less value to you and as a result, the bonding and connection may not be there anymore.  This is where I like to think about the philosophy that some people were meant to be in your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.  Who those individuals are and how they have come to be part of your circle is a story in its own.  The most cherished part of this reflection has to do with the fact that one actually has some of those key individuals in your life, which ultimately makes it more meaningful and full as a result.  The next time you have the opportunity to be engaged in a personal conversation with someone from your inner circle be entirely present along with having gratitude for them, as these special people are still there and cheering for you as they unconditionally are looking to see you succeed.