Put Them On The List

"A friend may well be reckoned a masterpiece of nature."--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Friends are priceless gems that enrich our lives beyond measure. Without friends, there would be nobody with whom to share our joys and our heartaches. There would be nobody with whom to communicate our most private thoughts. A life without friends would be a very empty life.

Thomas Jefferson wrote, "The happiest moments of my life have been in the flow of affection among friends." Few people in the history of mankind have had the superb talents and accomplishments of Jefferson. Yet, this very extraordinary man considered the times he spent with friends the happiest moments of his life. Is the same not true for all of us?

If we all sat down to make a list of our most important and valuable assets, many of us would be inclined to put material things like possessions and careers at the top of the list. Some of us might even forget to include friends among our assets. But some people contend that, "Friends are everything." Perhaps, in a large sense, they are.

Robert Louis Stevenson wrote, "A friend is a present you give yourself." John Keats confessed, "I would not live without the love of my friends." Friendship is an asset that is not related to one’s financial wealth. Some of the "poorest" people have very close friends, and financial wealth is more likely to be a hindrance than a help in developing true friendships. Unlike other assets, friendship is within the reach of every living person. It takes time and work to develop good friendships, but everything worth having requires effort.

Perhaps it behooves us all to take inventory of our friends. If we are well blessed with good friends, shouldn’t we be careful not to take them for granted? And, if we feel that we have too few friends, wouldn’t it make sense to work just a little harder at developing friendships? Maybe one of our major goals in life should be to strive to enjoy the company of our fellow human beings as much as possible.

Friends come in all sizes and ages. We need not restrict our attempts to develop new friends to people our own age. Some of the best and most productive friendships are between the very young and the very old. Each age group has so much to offer other age groups. The wisdom of the elderly can enlighten their juniors, and the enthusiasm of the young is a source of rejuvenation for seniors. And we must never forget that our very best friends are often members of our own family.