Living Life Abundantly

“My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.” – Henry Ford

“Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.” – Helen Keller

“A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“I get by with a little help from my friends.” – John Lennon

“No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your right to grow.” – Alice Walker

“A faithful friend is a strong defense: and he that hath found such an one hath found a treasure.” – Ecclesiasticus 6:14

There is something great about finding an unexpected card in the midst of bills in the mailbox. It makes getting the mail a much more pleasant experience. Today I received a beautiful ‘just because’ friendship card from one of my friends. We haven’t seen each other or had the opportunity to talk in a while but it hasn’t changed our bond or the dynamics of our friendship.

I believe that real friendships stand the test of time, space, and distance. Where there is genuine love and respect, friendships flourish.

You don’t have to see or talk to a person every day to be friends. I think that friends are so connected that they are always in tune with each other. I know that to be the case especially with my friends.

I have friends that I haven’t seen in 5 years (in ATL). We keep in contact via email mostly, but I know without a doubt that they have my back and they know that I have theirs!

A friend cares about you and your well being.

A friend will go over and above the call of duty for you.

A friend listens to you.

A friend talks to you, not at you.

A friend tells you the truth while sparing your feelings.

A friend helps you up after you’ve fallen. A friends laughs with you, not at you.

A friend encourages you to live life abundantly, a friend gives you space to do just that…

A friend does things out of the blue to show they love and appreciate you.

Maybe my surprise in the mail doesn’t seem like such a big deal to some people…but to me its the little things that mean so much.

Like me, all of my friends are extremely busy juggling lots of responsibilities.

Our schedules often conflict and sometimes its hard for us make time to hang out and catch up.

I think an important and often overlooked aspect in friendships is valuing and respecting people’s time.

I absolutely value and respect my friends time.  Time is the one thing we cannot get back.  Time cannot be bought but it can be spent.  How we spend our time and who we spend our time with is important.

I appreciate the time that was taken to pick out a card, hand write a note, buy a stamp, and take it to a post office or drop it in a mail box.

We live in a hustle and bustle world where its easy to just not do stuff because we are all so busy doing other stuff.  We should always make the time and take the time to appreciate kind gestures and to reciprocate the love.  That is the essence of friendship and living life abundantly!

I am so blessed and fortunate to have good friends in my life. (Thanks Coffee Bean Mustard)! This one is for you!

Brandy – Best Friend (1995)

There are certain things from childhood that just stay with you…When I was a kid, I went to summer camp at the YWCA, where I met all of these wonderful kids that I thought would be my lifetime friends.

We use to sing “That’s What Friends are For” and I guess I really took it to heart lol. Once we hit 5th and 6th grade we out grew the Y, went our separate ways, and lost contact with each other. So much for lifetime friendship right? Maybe not.

If Myspace isn’t good for anything else, its certainly good for reuniting long lost friends. Thanks to Myspace, I reconnected with Lisa!

Lisa and I went to the Y together and we had not seen each other in over twenty years…(that makes us sound so old omg)… We sent several messages back and forth and said lets meet up but we never did. You know how sometimes life gets in the way…

Anyway, we finally talked on Friday and decided to meet for lunch this Sunday

On my way to meet Lisa, all of the songs we sang at camp came to mind. There was a song that we used to sing every morning in the “friendship circle”, called “It’s a Beautiful Day.” That song is etched in my brain forever… considering the weather and occasion the song was more than appropriate for today.

It goes a lil something like this:

See the sun shining in the window

it’s gonna be a beautiful day

can’t you hear the song birds singing

I want to sing out loud and say

it’s a beautiful day

for running in the sun

a beautiful day has just begun

a beautiful day

to do what I want to do

its a beautiful day just to be alive

it’s a beautiful day

so glad that I

got a beautiful day

and I want to share it with you

Lisa was there in the lobby we recognized each other right away. There were no awkward moments its like we somehow picked up where we left off in 1987. We laughed and talked and had so much fun. On my drive home I thought yup… It’s a Beautiful Day!

A Reason, A Season or a Lifetime

People come into your life for a Reason, a Season or a Lifetime.

When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually.

They may seem like a godsend, and they are! They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part, or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.

Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done.

The prayer you sent up has been answered, and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They bring you an experience of peace, or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons: things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.

It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.
—Reason Seaon Lifetime Author Unknown

Special Dedication to Lisa and all of our folks from the old West LA YWCA…

5 Simple Rules To Be Happy

1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

Never abandon an old friend. You will never find one who can take his place. Friendship is like wine, it gets better as it grows older.

~Author Unknown

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things ‘in order,’ she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.

She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.

Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

‘There’s one more thing,’ she said excitedly.

‘What’s that?’ came the Pastor’s reply.

‘This is very important,’ the young woman continued. ‘I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.’ Read the full story

“Fifty percent of all first marriages, 70% of second marriages, 90% of subsequent marriages will end up in divorce,” according to Jennifer Baker of the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology.

Marriages are not the only relationships going sour. Many people quit jobs because of a boss or trouble with co-workers. Kids have problems in school getting along with classmates. Bonds between friends and family members are abruptly broken…

Relationships across the board are suffering because we have forgotten the basics of how to treat people.

In looking at our own failed relationships it is often easier to point out where the other person went wrong…(we humans can be so proud and arrogant). The truth is, just as it takes two to tango, it takes two to damage a relationship.

Many relationships go downhill because we expect people to be like us, to handle situations the way we would, to respond the way we would, and/or behave the way we think they should. (we humans seem to like to fix, change, and/or impose our will on others…which again comes from arrogance and pride).

People are who they are. We cannot change or fix them to meet our needs or expectations. We must deal with people and accept them as they are! This does not mean to accept being mistreated, disrespected, or hurt. This means accept the fact that the only person you can change is you. (while you cannot change others, a change in you might inspire, influence, or spark a change in others…hence, “Be The Change You Wish To See In The World”).

Identifying our own areas of opportunity is more important and more valuable than playing the blame game or analyzing the character flaws of others. (We must learn from our mistakes so that we don’t repeat them, but first we must be willing to admit and accept that even we make mistakes).

An important and often overlooked factor in establishing, building, maintaining, and/or repairing a relationship is acknowledging that you are not the only person in the relationship. (we humans have a way of making everything about us).

Relationships involve 2 (or more) people. Relationships are a team effort and if a relationship is to be successful all parties must understand that the I My Me Mine mentality does not fly in any relationship. This does not mean that we should lose our identity or individuality. It simply means that we must take into consideration and be concerned not just for our own self interests but Read the full story

Each year I become even more mindful of the fact that people really do come into our lives for a reason, season, or lifetime.

In evaluating my own relationships its very clear who my reasons, seasons, and lifetimes are and vice versa. As we approach Thanksgiving and like everyone else I suppose… I am deeply introspecting, reflecting, and meditating on everything and everyone that I am thankful for. God is Good! I’m very thankful to have crossed paths with such remarkable people throughout my life and I look forward to crossing paths with many more.

A Reason, a Season, or a Lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or
a lifetime. When you figure out which one it is, you
will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON . . . It is
usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have
come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you
with guidance and support, to aid you physically,
emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a
godsend, and they are! They are there for the reason
you need them to be.

Then, without any wrong doing on your part, or at an
inconvenient time, this person will say or do something
to bring the relationship to an end.

Sometimes they die.
Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met, our
desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you
sent up has been answered. And now it is time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON . . .
Because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace, or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount
of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; things
you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional
foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the
person, and put what you have learned to use in all
other relationships and areas of your life. It is said
that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Author Unknown