Taking a Chance on Friendship

My forever friend Steven and me when he
 competed in the Special Olympics

When I was in ninth grade, I tutored a sixth grade boy named Steven.  I visited his school once a week and helped him with his assignments.  He wasn't like most students and he often got made fun of by others.  But his sincerity and loyalty endeared him to me.  I believed in him and he never forgot that.  We remained in touch throughout the years, typically through letters and cards, which always ended "Friends Forever." I am happy to say that 35 years later, he is still in my life.  When we saw each other for Christmas this year, we gave each other a gift.  To our shock, when we opened them, we had bought the same ornament for each other - a snowman with "Friends Forever" on it.  Of all of the millions of gifts in this world, ours was the very same one!  Incredible and magical -- just like our friendship.

That's the thing with friends.  You don't really know how special that person is going to be in your life.  You find yourself chatting one day with someone new and years later, that person has a special place in your heart.  You take random chances, trust, and hope against hope that you find others similar to you but with new perspectives.  We long for others who will care about us and help us on our path in life.  Those who have had similar experiences and survived.  And those with differing angles to open our mind when we need it most.

One of the most common complaints I hear is that good friends are tough to find.  We think because we are in the same grade or live on the same street, that we should be "besties."  But that is often far from true.  Great friends are often found in the most unique circumstances.  But because they may be inconvenient and take extra effort, we sometimes let them slide.

Take for instance, when we were on vacation in Tennessee a few years back and my son met a girl similar in age as well as her family at the hotel pool.  We chatted for a long time and enjoyed their company.  My son and the girl exchanged emails, not imagining it would go very far.  Emails turned to FaceTime, and since then they have become dear friends.  We have met them on three more vacations since then, even spending time at their home in Georgia.  We truly enjoy their company and are so glad we didn't toss their email in the trash because they lived too far away.  Today's technology and a little persistence changes that.

When the universe puts people in your path, pay attention.  They are there for a reason.  Follow your heart -- if someone connects with you, then spend some time trying to make it work, even if it is a bit inconvenient.  Sometimes "forever friends" are right in front of us, but we look past them.  They are often different and unique but their heart resonates with yours.  And that is exactly why you need them in your life.