Finding Friends

We have often heard something like; “you pick your friends, but family is picked for you”. Family is certainly something we are “gifted” with and it can sometimes be a struggle to understand if the stork was drunk or simply lost. Good or bad, we spend most of our lives trying to be part of our family and be accepted as equal. Some days and some people are certainly more difficult than others. Either way, because they are our family, we almost always keep trying.

However, do we really pick our friends either? True friendship, is shared, without jealousy, control and insecurity and is very rare indeed. I would suggest that those that profess to have a large circle of friends and several BFF’s as they are now referred, simply have many close acquaintances, with similar interest. Each of those acquaintances, having different needs, wants and limitations that are not always in your best interest.

It is probably safe to say that if you look at your circle of “friends”, it is not you that picked them, but maybe, they that picked you. Remember that if your light burns bright and your music is heard, people will look to you, to light THEIR path. Having acquaintances and people to interact with and spend time with, and sharing interests with, is a wonderful thing that should be encouraged. However, knowing each relationship for what it is and seeing its limitations and boundaries is critical for self-care.

FRIENDS, like family, we do not pick, we simply have to find where the Universe has put them. If you are truly blessed, you may find you have more than one FRIEND. You do not have to have a spouse, partner or lover to have a FRIEND, but your spouse, partner or ,lover should always be a FRIEND. Friends, like life partners, must be willing to accept your changes and growth. Without that willingness from each, the friendship can not endure. Look at each friendship closely and remember that they like you, have and will continue to grow and change.

As you look at all those changes ask yourself; “Have you been FRIENDS a long time, or a long time ago you were FRIENDS”? A FRIEND gives and shares without judgment or selfish motives and demands the same in return. Take the time to find where the Universe has put your FRIEND.

~David Ritter

Unexpected Enlightenment

You Never Know Who You’ll Meet:
Our individual journeys take us into many unexpected situations where we encounter a wide variety of people—some quite like ourselves and some very different. We cannot anticipate these meetings, but we can make the most of them when they take place. When we are courteous as a matter of course and open-minded in our assessment of the individuals whose lives briefly touch our own, we are more apt to stumble upon surprising gems of wisdom that open our eyes to new worlds of possibility. Every person we meet can affect us profoundly, just as every situation we find ourselves in can teach us something new.

To fully embrace this fact, it is essential that we acknowledge that everyone is valuable in their own way and capable of expanding our horizons. Since we never know when we will happen upon those individuals who will unveil truths before us, we should extend to all people the same generous level of kindness, care, compassion, and understanding. Read more

Friend

We have often heard something like; “you pick your friends, but family is picked for us”. Family is certainly something we are “gifted” with and it can sometimes be a struggle to understand if the stork was drunk or simply lost. Good or bad, we spend most of our lives trying to be part of our family and be accepted as equal. Some day’s and some people are certainly more difficult than others. Either way, because they are our family, we almost always keep trying.

However, do we really pick our friends either? True friendship, is shared, without jealousy, control and insecurity and is very rare indeed. I would suggest that those that profess to have a large circle of friends and several BFF’s as they are now referred, simply have many close acquaintances with similar interest. Each of those acquaintances having different needs, wants and limitations and not always in your best interest. Read more

Surround yourself with love

Each day we choose who we surround ourselves with.  By emitting a positive, loving energy we in turn, attract other people who are also positive and loving to be around us.  Being surrounded by loving people gives us comfort and support, through our all of our ups and downs in life.  When we have this loving sense of community it provides us with an overwhelming sense of peace, harmony, and well being.

We can build our communities of love all around us, each day.  Our families are one loving community that we belong to.  Families love, comfort and support us unconditionally.  It is important to foster family bonds, but we often get so busy with our daily routines that we neglect to do this.  Take time out today to call or write a family member that you haven’t spoken to recently and let them know you are thinking of them and that you love them.  It’s guaranteed to bring a  smile to their face!   Plan a family dinner or family reunion to bring everyone together. Read more

Video: Investing in friends

Dr. Rob shares his intention of the day, Investing in friends, in the video below.

Friends and the gift they give us

Good friends enrich our lives in so many ways. Through a magical combination of similarities and differences, friends offer us the opportunity to know ourselves as we are and help us grow into who we want to be. Our similarities attract us to each other, comforting us with familiarity when we see ourselves in them. When we are drawn to those we admire, the same recognition is at work, unconsciously acknowledging that these people possess qualities that we ourselves possess. By acting as mirrors, friends help us define who we are by reflecting our selves back to us.

Friends also help us know ourselves through our differences. Differences allow us to see other options and make choices about who we want to be. Sometimes we are drawn to those who appear to be our opposites, and we learn to accept the parts of them we love and the parts of them that don’t resonate with us, thus allowing us a valuable learning experience. By expanding our understanding to include others’ experiences, Read more

A question of balance

One of the most beautiful qualities of an intimate relationship is the give and take of energy that occurs between two people. In the best-case scenario, both people share the talking and listening, and the giving and receiving of support, equally. Occasionally, within any relationship, the balance shifts and one person needs to listen more, or give more. Generally, over a long period of time, even this exception will take on a balanced rhythm; we all go through times when we take more and times when we give more.

However, there are also relationships in which the balance has always felt one-sided. You may have a friend whom you like, but you have begun to notice that the conversation is always about their life and their problems and never about yours. You may also have a friend who seems to require an inordinate amount of Read more

An angel walked the beat on Highway 109

A drunk man in an Oldsmobile
They said had run the light
That caused the six-car pileup
On 109 that night…

When broken bodies lay about
And blood was everywhere,
The sirens screamed out eulogies,
For death was in the air.

A mother, trapped inside her car,
Was heard above the noise;
Her plaintive plea near split the air:
Oh, God, please spare my boys!

She fought to loosen her pinned hands;
She struggled to get free,
But mangled metal held her fast
In grim captivity…

Her frightened eyes then focused
On where the back seat once had been,
But all she saw was broken glass and
Two children’s seats crushed in. Read more

In all kinds of weather

When we are close friends with someone, we intuitively know when they need a hug, a helping hand, or a sympathetic ear. Likewise, when we are going through bleak periods in our lives, we count on friends to support us through loss, illness, and other setbacks, both big and small. Read more

Wind Beneath My Wings music video

Below is the Bette Midler music video to “Wind Beneath My Wings” which was from the touching and beautiful movie about two childhood friends – Beaches. If you haven’t seen it, go rent it today! Read more