Today is my friend Dave's birthday. Dave and I met at a teacher meeting several years ago. We sat at the same table, and developed a camaraderie instantly. Over the years we found ourselves working together in various workshops and other work-related venues.
Dave is a great guy. He's funny and a delight to be around. He's caring and very intuitive about others. He's intelligent and a great source of information. He's energetic and motivates those he encounters. He's enthusiastic and clever and entertaining.
But the best part of Dave is that he's a real friend. Since I've quit teaching, I don't see him as often. But no matter how much time passes, when we get together we pick right back up where we left off. We catch up, enjoy our visit, then go about our lives until we meet again.
The blessing of real friends is their longevity. Their commitment to our friendship lasts whether we see them on a regular basis or not. Their ability to instantly connect happens no matter how much time has passed. Their faithfulness to a friendship never ends.
Over the past few years, I’ve been fortunate to reconnect with old friends. For some, it’s been years since we last spoke, but it seemed as if it were yesterday. The friendships have not changed even though our lives have. But that’s what makes those friendships real, because it’s not our shared lives that keep us friends - it’s our connection and commitment to each other. The gift of real friends is the security of knowing they will always be in our lives, no matter what.
Today is my friend Dave's birthday, but I got the real gift - being Dave's friend.
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