October 9, 2014

Baxter's Buzz

Friendships are funny things. There's so much fluidity when it comes to associates. And friends (true friends) provide a foundation that you can depend on. There are so many wishy washy people and that's why folks stick to those they know. Because even if your close friend has some serious character flaws, at least you know about them already. It's tough getting close to new folks because it's hard work figuring out where they lack exactly until they let you down. I don't mean to sound cryptic, but we all are less than perfect. There are SUPER individuals who would give you the shirt off of their back, answer the phone any time of night if you needed them and give you some of the greatest advice ever. But that same person might not be able to hold on to a single cent. They may not be able to hold on to a job and may never have any money if you needed it. That doesn't diminish your relationship with them, you just need to be mindful of those around you. We all have limitations and we just need to accept people for who they are, NOT who we want them to be.

I was talking with an old coworker of mine about someone we used to work with. I don't believe in "work friends" and I always thought that we'd be close. I believe that if you can leave a job with 1-2 true friends after you all part ways, you're in good shape. Sometimes adversity hits and the way it impacts relationships surprise you. You're expecting someone to stand up and support you and they do just the opposite. This can go for family too. What's done is done and you can't rewrite history from last year because the dynamics of your relationship has changed this year. Be appreciative of the moments when you were able to let down your guard and really be yourself. As you lose touch and "get busy," you're sacrificing your freedom in many ways because there are very few folks that you can be your true self around. If you lose those people in your life (and don't replace them with other awesome people), you lose some of yourself. You can't spend your entire life pretending that you love things you dislike or laughing at corny jokes! We all need a foundation that we can depend on in the mist of the uncertainty that we face on a daily basis.